FAQs

My cat/dog is missing. What do I do?
We’re sorry to hear your pet is missing, we understand this is a very stressful time. Please call our reception team on 0131 669 5331 between the hours of 9am and 4pm, Monday-Sunday. We will check if your pet has been handed in to us, or if we’ve had any reports of your pet being found. We will also take your contact details so we can let you know if we get any information about your pet being found. Alternatively, visit our Lost Pets page for further advice. Please note that due to the high volume of requests of this nature, unfortunately we can’t share photos of lost pets on our social media pages but we can give you advice to help you find your lost pet.

I have seen a stray cat/dog. What do I do?
If you think that you have seen a lost or stray dog, please contact your local dog warden in the first instance however if they can’t be reached then contact the police who will bring the animal to us. If you think you have seen a lost or stray cat refrain from picking it up or moving it immediately. Look to see whether you think the cat looks in distress, is injured or is unwell. If you’re concerned, then contact us here at the Home for advice on 0131 669 5331. You can find out how to contact all of the agencies involved with lost pets on our Lost Pets page. Alternatively, if you have been able to get the animal to a safe carrier/car, you can drop the animal off with us at 26 Seafield Road East, Edinburgh EH15 1EH from 9am – 4pm, Monday – Saturday.

I am struggling financially and am finding it difficult to buy food for my pet, can you help?
Please call our reception team on 0131 669 5331. We can arrange a time for you to pick up food, or we can advise you where to find a pet food bank near you. Alternatively, see our Pet Food Bank page for more information.

Do you provide vet services?
All of our dogs and cats receive the best quality vet care before they are rehomed, however we are unable to provide vet care to members of the public and their pets.

I would like to rehome my pet. What do I do?
The decision to rehome your pet is never easy. If you are thinking of rehoming your dog and cat, please call us on 0131 669 5331 and our team can talk you through our surrendering process. Alternatively, please find further advice here.

Are the animals on your website the only ones you have?
All the animals who come into our care are vet checked and assessed. While they are receiving any necessary vet treatment or are working on their training or behaviour, we do not advertise them for adoption. As soon as an animal is cleared by our vet and training team, their details will be added to our website so we can find them a forever home. Animals could be added at any time, so we advise you to keep checking our website or app for new available pets. Find out more about adopting an animal here.

Why do you have so few animals on your website that are suitable to live with children?
Our policy is only to rehome a pet to a family with young children, where we can be confident that the pet has previously lived successfully with children, or where we know that the dog or cat would be comfortable living with a family. Our decision is based on individual behavioural assessments done at the Home and information taken from each pets previous home.

Can I take an animal home on my first visit?
It’s more than likely that you’ll visit the Home more than once before taking your new pet home. It can take a few visits to make sure that you are bonding well with your pet and it’s vital that we ensure it’s a good match.

Can I register my details so you can contact me if a suitable animal is looking for a home?
We are currently unable to hold your details for a future animal, but we would like to encourage you to keep checking our website or app and register your interest in a specific pet you like. All animals who are looking for homes will be added to our website. You can find out more about our adoption process on our website here.

I want to rehome a puppy/kitten. Do you have any?
The Home gets animals of all ages, breeds and sizes, and on rare occasions this includes puppies and Kittens. Any puppies or kittens looking for homes will be added to our website when they are ready for adoption.

Do you put animals down if they don’t get adopted?
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home will never put a physically or mentally healthy animal down, and where there is hope of finding a forever home, we will never give up trying to find it, whether this takes weeks, months or even years.

Do you foster?
Due to limited resources we do not currently offer a pet fostering scheme.

Do you take animals off-site at any time?
We will occasionally take our dogs, on lead, to the nearby Portobello beach as part of their training programme. Further off-site opportunities, such as media appearances, are assessed on a case-by-case basis, weighing up the publicity benefit to the animal, and their ability to cope in the situation. For further information, please contact our media team on 0131 669 5331.

I’d love to update the staff on how my pet is doing. How can I get in touch with you?
We love hearing your updates, it means so much to the team to hear how well your new companion is settling in! We have a Facebook group dedicated to those who have rehomed pets from us. Please feel free to join the group here.

I surrendered my pet to the Home. How can I find out how they are doing?
Where it’s not common practice for us to give information on a pet once they’ve been surrendered to the Home, we occasionally provide updates, depending on the circumstances. Please phone our reception team on 0131 669 5331 and we can talk this through with you.

Do you accept dog and cat food donations?
We are very grateful for the donations that we receive and use as many of these as we can in our animal care. While we use a specific brand of dog food, Virbac, as it’s extremely important to keep animals on a consistent diet especially in a high-stress kennel/cattery environment, we heavily rely on donations of cat wet food. Our rehoming cats take particularly well to wet food in jelly, any brands from major supermarkets along with Whiskas and Felix go down very well. Some pets may be on specialty diets for weight loss/allergies or sensitivities, so it is imperative we can give them a consistent, healthy and balanced diet. Dog and cat treats are very welcome and appreciated as these are not only used in the kennel and cattery environment, but our training and enrichment programme relies heavily on tasty treats to help with their learning, and can be purchased for our pets on our Amazon wish list. Any food donations that cannot be used in our kennels or cattery may be used in our Pet Food Bank.

Does the Home receive any Government funding?
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home does not receive any Government funding and relies largely on donations made by our supporters as well as fundraising events and activities.

Do you accept donations of bedding?
Our dogs and cats are always needing soft bedding such as towels and blankets and we are very grateful to accept these donations. If you have a large donation of bedding to give to us please do give us a call in advance so we can work out storage space as this is limited on site.

We currently do not accept pillow or duvet donations.

Do you accept used pet toys & accessories?
Yes, we are always grateful for donations of pet toys and accessories. We accept both new and used but please ensure that any used toys and accessories are still in a good condition.

Can you pick up donations?
Unfortunately, due to limited resources, we are currently unable to provide a pick-up service for donations. Donations can be dropped off at the Home. Visit our Contact Us page for our addresses and opening hours.

Can I donate shredded paper?
We are delighted to accept shredded paper donations, which some of our dogs need for bedding. However, we do ask that it is the long strip kind, as the cross cut type can clog our drains.

I’d like to raise money for the Home. How do I get started?
Thank you for your support! There are a number of ways you can raise money for the Home, from sponsored runs and challenge events, to bake sales and craft mornings. For ideas and to get started, visit our fundraising pages.

I’d like to walk a dog or come in and pet a cat. How do I apply to volunteer?

There are lots of different volunteering roles at the Home that all contribute and help us achieve our mission. You can find out how to apply to volunteer on our volunteering page. Please note that we are not currently accepting kennel volunteering application while we review this service.

Did someone try to call me? 

Across the winter period (November to December 2023), we will be working with an external telephone fundraising agency QTS (QTS Fundraising – Telephone fundraising) to call existing supporters who have given consent to contact them by telephone, using the number 07458122849. 

For more information including the contact number and how to opt out of calls please click here