Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home receives $118,000 cryptocurrency donation
Melanie May | 17 November 2021 | News
The donation to Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is the biggest known gift of its kind in Scottish history.
The charity has been gifted 26 Ethereum (approximately $118,000USD or £87,000) by Pawthereum, a community-run charity cryptocurrency project focused on supporting animal welfare organisations and being a digital advocate for animals in need.
Pawthereum launched in early October 2021 and is a project on the Ethereum network. A portion of all $PAWTH token transactions goes to a charity “wallet” used only for donations, and it expects to donate up to $500,000USD by the end of 2021 to animal shelters and rescues around the world.
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This donation is to fund Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home’s Pet Foodbank service, Paws Pantry, for the whole of 2022.
The Paws Pantry initiative aims to tackle pet poverty in Scotland. Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home works with 52 foodbanks and community groups, and provides pet food, collars, jackets, bedding and other care items to pet owners in need. Over 1,300 animals per month are cared for through this service.
The charity first started taking cryptocurrency donations in response to the financial struggles of the pandemic. In September this year it launched a presence on The Giving Block.
Nicola Gunn, Director of Development and External Affairs at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said:
“Our team’s day-to-day work to ensure vulnerable animals get the care they need is absolutely relentless, and just to know that this has been recognised by Pawthereum is incredibly overwhelming. There really aren’t enough words to thank them for this donation, which will ensure another year of Scottish pets being warm, fed and most importantly, remaining in loving homes.”
Pawthereum has also committed to donating another $2,000 a month to the rescue to support the ongoing growth of the service as it expands across East and Central Scotland. The charity saw a 77% rise in the use of Paws Pantry between 2020 and 2021.
Matt C-Roy, Charity Coordinator at Pawthereum, said:
“Pawthereum was born out of the idea that cryptocurrencies can be a tremendous force for good in the world. We couldn’t be happier to do our first major donation with a partner as thoughtful and caring as Edinburgh Home. Their community outreach programs help pets stay with their owners during tough times. We’re proud to support that mission and to partner with Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home long term to save more animals.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.