Newcastle Hospitals Charity has officially launched a partnership with North East charity Wag & Company to help bring more therapy dogs to patients across Newcastle Hospitals.
Wag & Company are the only visiting dog charity befriending older dog lovers in their own homes as well as in care or in hospitals across the North East. Now, their volunteers – and their four-legged friends – will visit patients at the Freeman Hospital, RVI and The Great North Children’s Hospital.
A therapy dog service has been in place at Newcastle Hospitals for over 10 years and therapy dogs currently spend time with young patients at the Great North Children’s Hospital and the children’s heart unit at the Freeman Hospital, as well as with inpatients in elderly care and the stroke ward.
Alison Haigh, volunteer service manager at Newcastle Hospitals Charity said: “Our team of volunteers and their lovely dogs do such a wonderful job helping to lift the spirits of our patients while they are in hospital. We know that spending time with animals – dogs in particular – can help release endorphins, having a calming effect on patients, it can help reduce anxiety, lower stress and increase physical activity.”

Made possible thanks to the supporters of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, the partnership with Wag & Company will see the current service expand to other wards and departments and eventually to patients in the community.
Teri Bayliss charity director at Newcastle Hospitals Charity said: “I’m delighted to officially launch our partnership with Wag & Company. The service they offer is unique, but it makes such a difference to patients and staff and this partnership will help us to support more patients both in hospital and in the community.
“Our mission is to go further for our hospitals and our volunteers continue do this every day – the impact they have is vital. A huge thank you to our generous supporters as we wouldn’t be able to do this without them.”
Wag & Company launched in 2016, they match and enable professionally assessed volunteers and their special dogs to safely befriend and visit elderly dog lovers across the North East. Over the last nine years, their number of volunteers and the people they are able to support has continued to grow, supporting their aim to end loneliness for older dog lovers.
Diane Morton founder and chair of Wag & Company said: “We’re delighted to be working with Newcastle Hospitals Charity, making a difference to both patients in wards across the trust and also in the community. We’re in awe of the work the existing volunteers and their special dogs are doing already and very excited at the prospect that together we will do more.”