Greyfriar’s Bobby and Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home
The story of Greyfriar’s Bobby
Those who grew up around Edinburgh are probably very familiar with the story of Greyfriar’s Bobby, the faithful pup who never left his owner’s side.
Bobby was a Sky Terrier who accompanied his owner, John Gray, on his rounds as a night watchman for the Police Force. John sadly passed away from tuberculosis in 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in the centre of Edinburgh.
And still, Bobby remained by his side, keeping watch over John’s grave every single day. Bobby was so persistent in his vigil that the kirkyard gardener gave up trying to get him to leave and instead built him a little shelter by the grave.
Word soon spread about Bobby’s incredible show of devotion and crowds would gather at the kirkyard entrance around 1pm when Bobby would head out for his lunch at the same Coffee House he’d always gone to with John.
Bobby came to be known as Greyfriar’s Bobby, he kept up his daily routine for another 14 years until he passed away and was buried alongside his beloved John. In November, 1873 a statues was erected in his memory outside the kirkyard gates which you can still visit today.
Greyfriar’s Bobby and Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home
Nine years after Bobby’s owner passed, in 1867, a law was introduced requiring all dogs to be licensed with the city or otherwise destroyed.
Bobby, having no owner and no one to pay for his license, found himself in danger. This is where our founder, The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir William Chambers, stepped in.
Chambers personally paid for Bobby’s dog license and named him as his own owner on the certificate, securing Bobby’s right to roam Edinburgh freely for the rest of his days. He presented Bobby with a collar with an inscription reading ‘Greyfriar’s Bobby from the Lord Provost 1867 licensed’, which is currently on display at the Museum of Edinburgh.
The origins of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home
Sir William Chamber went on to co-found the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home with Dr. John Brown in 1884, feeling strongly that there was a better way to deal with Edinburgh’s stray dog problem.
At the time, wandering dogs were routinely rounded up by the police and put to sleep. This greatly disturbed Chambers and Brown who campaigned for years for a better solution. Finally, in 1884, they succeeded and the ‘Home for Lost and Starving Dogs’ opened its doors in Comely Bank Gardens.
Over 140 years later, we’re still here with an expanded mission and a different name, but the same core love for animals and belief in second chances.