It costs £401 this year for each Visiting Wag Team. Your support provides friends for older dog lovers in the community.
John Robson from Cramlington tells us why life is so much better with friends.
Loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Many people have lost friends and family as they have got older and at the same time they have found themselves unable to care for a dog any more.
Some are bereaved, grieving, profoundly lonely with failing health and desperately miss the friends they've lost, two legged and four legged; with Wag & Company they get both.
David Dawson, Older Person's Specialist, Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust says: “My background is secondary care, tablets, doctors, treatment plans etc. All very important to staying well. The work that you are doing in Wag is just as important, because when people are lonely and isolated, it is next to impossible to stay well.”
Our friends, their stories..
Some lovely examples of Visiting Wag Teams helping to combat loneliness with a regular chat, a cuppa and that much missed furry cuddle.
Visiting Wag Team Janet and Islay visit Mrs Sandra C in Stockton on Tees
Lovely Friendship Dog Islay has made a very special friend in Mrs Sandra C, who lives in her own home...
Visiting Wag Team Brooke and Rocky visit Mrs Vera S near Sunderland
Mrs Vera S has always had dogs. She's had all breeds of dog: a Chihuahua, a Dachshund and a Boxer,...
Visiting Wag Team Louise and Bronte visit Mrs Sylvia A in Durham
Mrs Sylvia A was referred to Wag when her son, Chris, contacted us to ask about visits for his Mum....
Visiting Wag Team Carol, David and Poppy Twiby visit Mr & Mrs M in Middlesbrough
Carol and David joined Wag in early 2018 with Friendship Dog Harvey, closely followed by Friendship Dog Oakley. Throughout their...
Visiting Wag Team Cheryl and Alfie visit Mr B in Whitley Bay
Mr B has recently moved into Eastbourne House Care Home in Whitley Bay. His daughter Jan is very supportive and...
Visiting Wag Team Karen and Seren visit Miss R in Durham
Miss R is 90 now, and she’s always lived alone but never without the company of a dog. She’s had...
Visiting Wag Team Jane and Andra visit Mr and Mrs G in Redcar
Mr G grew up on a farm and had dogs all his life. He and his wife have rescued and...
Visiting Wag Team Anita and Harry visit Mrs P in Sunderland
Mrs P lives in Sunderland with her husband. For health reasons, she can't get out of the house now, and...
Visiting Wag Team Catherine and Dotty visit Mrs Janet D in Stockton-On-Tees
In 2022, Mrs D moved into an assisted living environment in Stockton-On-Tees. Having always lived with family, she found the...
Visiting Wag Team Judith and Verdi visit Mrs Freda H in Redcar
Mrs H lost her husband some years ago, and she lives alone now in Redcar. She’s had some health difficulties,...
Visiting Wag Team Eileen and Ruby visit Mrs Judith W in Redcar
We work hard to find great matches for our people! Sometimes they’ll express a preference for a big dog, a...
Visiting Wag Team Hannah and Floyd visit Mrs Leonie B in Stockton
Mrs Leonie B lost her husband some years ago and has lived alone ever since in Stockton. Like so many...
Visiting Wag Team Michael and Max visit Mr Jim S in Redcar
Here's Friendship Dog Max the Cockapoo visiting his great friend Mr Jim S in his home in Redcar. Jim has...
Visiting Wag Team Brooke and Harry visit Mrs Ida C near Blyth
Mrs C lost her husband some years ago and lives alone near Blyth. She looks amazing but she won’t mind...
Visiting Wag Team Louise and Friendship Dog Bronte visit Mrs Ella M in Sunderland.
Mrs M lives alone in an Assisted Living environment in Sunderland. Her family are very supportive, but they don’t live...
Visiting Wag Team Mike and Friendship Dog Fable visit Mr Dave M in Sunderland.
Mr M is 58, he suffers from renal failure and must attend regular dialysis appointments at the hospital which makes...
Visiting Wag Team Steph and Friendship Dog Finn visit John in Ayresome Court near Stockton on Tees.
Visiting Wag Team Steph and Finn the Golden Retriever have been bringing lots of hugs, happiness and smiles to the...
Visiting Wag Team Jan and Friendship Dog Teddy visit Mrs Edith A near Newcastle upon Tyne.
Mrs A lives in Newcastle in the same house she’s lived in for 63 years. 5 years ago, Edith lost...
Visiting Wag Team Lesley and Friendship Dog Hallie visit Mrs Joyce T in North Tyneside
Mrs T has become very isolated with no friends or family close by and she’s also suffered from some health...
Visiting Wag Team Sarah and her Friendship Dog Marley visit Mrs Doreen F in Sunderland.
Doreen is 91 and a widow who lives alone but with close family support nearby. She’s always loved dogs, she...
Visiting Wag Team Janet and Islay visit Mrs Yvonne H in Stockton-on-Tees.
Mrs H lives alone in the Tees Valley, she’s an huge dog lover and she was absolutely devastated when she...
Visiting Wag Team Dawn and Steed visit Mrs Alison S in Stockton!
Mr & Mrs S live in their own home in Stockton on Tees. Alison is in her 80's and her...
Visiting Wag Team Gemma and Stanley visit Mr David T in North Tyneside!
Mr T is 59, he suffers from a form of MND, Motor Neurone Disease which is very hard for him...
Visiting Wag Team Catherine and Dotty visit Mr & Mrs G in Middlesbrough!
Mr & Mrs G have had dogs throughout their lives but they're struggling with their health now and can't have...
Visiting Wag Team Steven, Lisa and Alfie visit Mrs Molly P in Sunderland!
Wag volunteer Steven 34 has Downs Syndrome and Lisa is his carer. Steven likes to keep busy and really enjoys...
Visiting Wag Team, Lynne and Spud visit Mr Jimmy S in Gateshead!
Mr Jimmy S lives in his own home in Gateshead, he recently lost his beloved Jack Russell, he has memory...
Visiting Wag Team Paul and Max visit Mr Denis W in Gateshead
Denis gets a great deal of pleasure from having Paul and Max in his life as you can see! Paul...
Lynn and Betty visit Mrs Betty E in Durham
Mrs E was devastated when she lost her beloved dog Ben, his death came not long after the death of...
Visiting Wag Team Gabi and Coco visit Mrs Dorothy K in North Tyneside
Dorothy always had dogs and absolutely adored them but it’s no longer possible sadly. Dorothy is 91 now and she...
Visiting Wag Team Ellie, Rebecca and Ruby visit Ron in Middlesbrough
Ron and his wife Elena always had German Shepherds and really miss them. Ron particularly loves dogs, especially the bigger...
Visiting Wag Team, Steve and Mungo, visit Mr Anthony Haslock in his own home near Stockton on Tees.
Anthony always lived with his parents and how he’s sadly lost them both, he relies on carers and support staff...
Visiting Wag Team, Beth and Callie, visit the Akenside and Castleside Wards at the Campus for Ageing & Vitality in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Lovely Friendship Labrador Callie is a huge hit at the Akenside and Castleside Wards at the Campus for Ageing &...
Visiting Wag Team, Steph and Cherry, visit Mr & Mrs Terrey in their own home near Brampton.
Visiting Wag Team Steph and Cherry have visited Mrs & Mrs Terrey, Jenny and John, for almost a year now....
Visiting Wag Team, Alison and Zorro, visit Mrs Pauline Roxburgh in her own home in Newcastle.
Mrs Roxburgh’s daughter heard about us and asked if we could visit her Mum. She told us Pauline loves dogs,...
Visiting Wag Team, Becky and Hugo, visit Mr Terry Carberry in his own home in Stockton on Tees.
Terry was referred to us by Jessica Parry from the Early Intervention and Prevention Team at Stockton Borough Council. Becky...
Visiting Wag Team Baxter and Julie visit Woodhorn Park Care Home in Ashington.
Little Friendship Dog Baxter is another cuddly boy and he’s putting smiles on the faces of his friends at Woodhorn...
Visiting Wag Team, Judith and Teddy, visit Mrs Marjorie Blackett near Consett.
Marjorie has had dogs since she was five years old and she loves to have a dog around her. She...
Visiting Wag Team, Gail and Cosmo visit Mrs Carole Nicholson in her own home in Newcastle.
Here’s Friendship Dog Cosmo the Labradoodle with his best friend Carole. Carole is very isolated, she lost her husband a...
Visiting Wag Team, Eileen and Ruby visiting Mr Ray Little in Middlesbrough.
Ray is a widower, he was married for 67 years, he and his wife always had pets, goldfish, guinea pigs,...
Visiting Wag Team, Miriam and Nula visit Mr Rob Lambie in Newcastle.
Rob’s son Alastair got in touch in January to see if we could visit his dad. He explained that Rob’s...
Visiting Wag Team Lynne and Spud visit Mr George Rennison in Durham.
Spud originally met George at Rhythm Not Blues community group in Chester Le Street where he’s a regular visitor with...
Visiting Wag Team, Anita and Harry, visit Gordon & Gwen in Sunderland
Gordon lives with his wife Gwen and were referred to Wag by Kelly from The Essence Service in Sunderland. Kelly...
Visiting Wag Team, Lynne and Spud, visit Jim in Newcastle
Spud’s first visit was in September 2021 and was accompanied by the referrer, Heather from CNTW NHS. Heather told us...
Visiting Wag Team, Karen and Woody, visit Wendy and Tom in Newcastle.
Wendy and her husband Tom have had dogs all their married life, border collies or labradors, but after their last...
Visiting Wag Team, Stephanie and Alfie, visit Doreen in Yarm
Doreen is 89, she lives alone in Yarm but has a very supportive family close by. Doreen is a huge...
Visiting Wag Team, Marilyn and Ted, visit Tom in Lynemouth
Tom is 93, he was widowed just over 3 years ago and he had lost his dog not long before;...
Visiting Wag Team, Sharon and Millie visit Winnie in Newcastle
Since January 2020, Sharon and Friendship Dog Millie have been visiting Winnie in Newcastle. Winnie lost her husband and whilst...
Rest in Peace, Mrs Jane Stobbart, who so loved her Friendship Dog, Max.
Last week we heard of the death of one of our friends, Mrs Jane Stobbart. Jane lived with dementia and...
Oscar granting a last request at St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham.
We were contacted by St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham with a really urgent request. One of their patients was facing the...
Visiting Wag Team, Liz and Milly visit Norman in Prudhoe
Norman originally rang us himself to ask if it would be possible to have a dog to visit as he was...
Visiting Wag Team Debi and Poppy visit Joan in Newcastle City
We received a referral on the 23rd December for Joan who is receiving round the clock palliative care in her own...
Visiting Wag Team Gemma and Bentley visit Lynn in Killingworth
Mrs Lynn Brennan was referred to us in August 2018 by her GP and also by St Oswald’s Hospice because...
Visiting Wag Team Olivia and Kobe visit Ella near Durham City
Olivia and Kobe have been visiting Ella since January 2019. Ella has full time carers and a condition which confines...
Visiting Wag Team, Terry and Dotty visit Eddie in Bishop Auckland
Since November 2019, Terry and his dog, Dotty, have been visiting Eddie in his own home in Bishop Auckland. Eddie...
Visiting Wag Team Rachel and Ballet visit Ron and Cath in Cramlington
Since November 2017, Rachel and her labrador, Ballet, have been visiting Ron and Cath in their home in Cramlington. Both...
Home visits
Providing vulnerable people with access to a dog and a friend again, wherever they are, is a very important thing to do. But our home placements are especially important because without us, there is no other similar charity to visit and they would miss out terribly.
Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust refer to us and Julie Leddy, part of their Support Planning team said:
“Referring to Wag & Company is a great way for older people, who would struggle with the day-to-day responsibilities of caring for a dog, to have contact with a dog and friendship with its owner. In simple terms, loneliness and isolation are bad for people’s health, particularly older people. With levels of loneliness among older people high, and forecast to rise, it is our duty as health professionals to open up opportunities for greater social interaction to help people to stay well at home and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.”
Visiting Services leaflet
