Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home are hoping to find Niall the Doberman Cross a forever home this Christmas
As part of its Winter Appeal, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is urging the public to help animals like Niall, a two-year-old Doberman cross, find a loving home this Christmas.
When Niall arrived at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, he was skin and bones, covered in wounds and frightened of the world around him. Found as a stray, his future was uncertain, but with expert veterinary care, routine and patience, Niall has made a remarkable recovery. Once reserved and wary, he is now beginning to show his true personality and learning to trust again, a powerful example of what the right care and support can achieve.
Now settled into life at the Home, Niall’s confidence continues to grow. Once he has built a bond, he is incredibly affectionate and will happily curl up for a cuddle, despite his size. He is goofy, full of energy and loves racing around with his toys, enjoying every chance to play and interact with the people he knows and trusts.
This Christmas, Niall’s journey is at the heart of the charity’s ‘Nowhere Like Home’ Winter Appeal, a campaign inspired by the idea that every animal deserves a safe place to belong. The Home is highlighting the path stray and surrendered animals take as they journey towards a loving forever home. But for many animals that arrive at the Home, that journey can only continue with public support.
The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home currently receives around 40 calls every day from pet owners seeking help. Between January and October this year, the charity accepted 301 animals, with 141 of them arriving as strays, just like Niall. During the same period, the Home received 700 surrender requests, highlighting the growing pressures facing pet owners across East and Central Scotland.
With operational costs at an all-time high and more than 300 new arrivals already this year, the charity is aiming to raise £200,000 through its Winter Appeal to ensure animals like Niall continue to receive lifesaving care. With no government funding, the Home relies entirely on the generosity of its supporters to keep its doors open and is deeply grateful to everyone who has supported its work over the past year
Niall is now looking for an experienced owner who has had large dogs before and can continue working on his confidence at a steady pace. He would thrive in an adult only home where he can be the only pet, with a private garden to call his own. As he can find being left alone difficult, Niall will need someone who can keep him company throughout the day while he learns that time alone is okay.
Amelia Morgan, CEO at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “Every animal deserves to know the comfort and safety of a warm, loving home, especially at Christmas. Niall’s story shows what is possible when kindness and care come together, but there are so many more animals who still need our help.
“The need for our services continues to escalate, and it is only through the generosity of our supporters that we have been able to help both pet owners and their beloved animals. Demand is high, and we need to be able to do more.”
Donations to the Winter Appeal make an immediate and tangible difference. £20 can help give a dog or cat their chance to find a loving home, £50 can help pay for lifesaving medicine and expert veterinary care, and £100 can help provide warmth, shelter and ongoing care during the winter months.
For Niall, this Christmas is about healing, hope and the chance of a new beginning. For hundreds of other dogs and cats, the Winter Appeal can make that difference in them finally finding their forever home.
To support the Winter Appeal, visit edch.org.uk/winterappeal, call 0131 669 5331, or text COSY to 70058 to donate £10.
Pictured: Niall the Doberman cross seeks forever home. Photo: Ian Georgeson.
