Louise Russell, founder of the charity Give a Dog a Bone, wanted to do something “meaningful”. Her corporate job didn’t give her this sense of purpose and passion, and at her dining room table a new concept was born – how to reduce loneliness amongst older adults by giving them the opportunity to engage with pets.
Loneliness – an increasing social phenomenon
Our modern societies are fast paced. Social networks of extended families and close-knit communities are less prevalent than in past generations. Thus, loneliness and social isolation are a common experience, not just amongst the old. However, this group is often particularly impacted when; widowed, children live further away, or through the loss of friends due to bereavement.
The UK Government has recognised this issue and is one of the first governments to establish a ‘Ministry of Loneliness’, which was established in 2018 to fight the ‘epidemic of loneliness’ within our society – this was before the deep impact of Covid, which has only exacerbated the issue, and the knock-on effects it has on peoples’ mental health.
Impacts of loneliness
Loneliness is believed to impact peoples’ health in respect of cardiovascular illnesses, such as strokes, heart disease and dementia, as well as being profoundly negative in terms of mental health issues, such as depression, low self-esteem and anxiety. The social and financial costs of this ‘epidemic’ are difficult to quantify, but it is a given that they are extremely detrimental to the individuals impacted and the societies in which they live. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a commission to examine the effects of loneliness, believing it can be as damaging to health as a consumption of 15 cigarettes per day.
A charity is born
Louise Russell was aware of the importance of social connection, and the deficits loneliness can cause, as early as 2013. She had an idea to tackle this phenomenon by pairing lonely people with animals. Working from her dining room table, she embarked upon making her idea come to life. After four years of volunteering, her hobby and passion became her job, and Louise became the first employee of the charity.
Give a Dog a Bone’s approach
The charity, now with over 70 volunteers and 13 part-time staff, operates on two distinct levels. In order to help those looking to interact with animals to alleviate their loneliness, the charity offers financial support as well as operating Community Spaces where anybody can enjoy a cup of tea and the company of their in-house four-legged friends. The dogs at the Community Spaces are interviewed with their humans when they apply for their role at Give a Dog a Bone. If successful, they come to work as a team.
There are now four Community Spaces. The first was opened in January 2018 in the Shawlands area of Glasgow, the other three followed in Troon (2018), Alloa (2020) and Dunfermline (2025). These ‘safe spaces’ welcome all members of the public and are open five days a week. As Louise Russell emphasises, the charity is proud to be a “flag in the community”, and all four Community Spaces accommodate an annual footfall of over 18,000.
Financial assistance and support
Potential pet owners aged 60 or over, who feel they could benefit from owning a pet but cannot afford the initial costs, can apply for a ‘rehoming fee’ of a rescue dog. A personal application in the form of an initial telephone call must be made to the charity and if successful, the fee is transferred directly to the animal rescue home. The charity does not actively find animals for prospective owners; this is something that needs to be done by the applicants themselves.
Similarly, pet owners who are experiencing financial difficulty with keeping their pet, can apply for financial support through the charity. In addition to this financial support, the Community Spaces offer free access to their pet foodbanks.
Funding
The charity fulfills an important role in the communities in which it operates and yet receives no financial support from the Government. Give a Dog a Bone relies on private donations, fundraising, and receives contributions from trusts and funds, such as the National Lottery. The combination of rising demand and the increasing cost of pet food and insurance, means secure financial funding is a must to guarantee this valuable contribution to the wellbeing of older members of our communities. The charity is hoping to gain more publicity to make potential contributors aware of its important cause and has been featured on Channel 5 News and Scotland Tonight.
If you feel you can support this remarkable charity, or benefit from its services, please contact them.
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