Edinburgh woman battling mental health says a dog saved her life

Blaithin Lynch with her dog Tizer. Picture: Edinburgh Cat and Dog Home.

Following severe mental health struggles Blaithin Lynch was left feeling so depressed she tried to kill herself twice.

But following the advice of her GP, Blaithin considered adopting a pet.

And Tizer, from Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, has turned her life around.

Blaithin said: “Six weeks ago this guy came into my life and has 100 per cent turned it around. Before I adopted Tizer I was so severely depressed I tried to kill myself....twice. My GP was amazing and got to know me really well and when I told her I was thinking about adopting a dog, she was so enthusiastic about it. She actually said I needed to do it.

“I searched for months for a dog.....and then saw Tizer on the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home app and immediately thought “that’s my dog”. I visited him several times (he didn’t take much notice of me!) and then one Saturday I got the green light to bring him home.

“That first walk....we went to a secluded Portobello beach and had our first argument. I remember thinking “have I done the right thing?”. And then we got home. And he fell asleep on me. And my heart just swelled with so much love for this guy.

“Since then we’ve been learning from each other. He’s been such a massive emotional support for me. If I hadn’t him to look forward to after a hard day at work I’d have gone back to feeling so depressed. Tizer really is my best friend and I’m so, so thankful I got to bring him home.”

Launched in July, the app is the first of its kind in the UK, and with hundreds of downloads to date, it is already beginning to make an impact on rehoming at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home.

Nicola Gunn, the Home’s Director of Fundraising and Communications, said: “Tizer never gave up hope that someone who loved him would walk through our door. We were thrilled that he was spotted on our app by Blaithin, who is such a perfect match for Tizer, and that this one is a very happy ending. Tizer’s story gives that little bit of extra hope to our many other pets who are still waiting to be swept off their feet by their forever human.”