Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home

That the Parliament is concerned by reports that the animal welfare charity, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, has been compelled to make 15 redundancies, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has financial losses of £650,000 this year; understands that the charity has been unable to raise funds as normal during the lockdown, while the home was deemed ineligible for COVID-19 emergency funding; further understands that the charity has announced the permanent closure of its Stockbridge and Portobello shops, cessation of pet boarding services and a restructure in fundraising, communications, business support and animal care teams; considers that the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has been a much-loved part of Edinburgh society since launching in 1883; deeply regrets the loss of jobs for those affected, and wishes the charity well in identifying a new strategy to ensure long-term sustainability, in order to continue its work rescuing, reuniting and rehoming stray, lost and abandoned dogs and cats.