Assistance Dogs
Australia.
Enhancing inclusion and independence for people with disabilities, through the love of an Assistance Dog.
Dogs Who Save Lives.
Fully-accredited Assistance Dogs help Australians with disability to live as fully and independently as possible. The physical and emotional support from Assistance Dogs can save lives.
What are Assistance Dogs?
Assistance Dogs are a support mechanism for people with disability. By having an assistance dog by their side or access to an assistance dog through a partnership program, people with disability are able to experience increased connection, inclusion and independence. The dogs bred by Assistance Dogs Australia spend the first 12 months with a volunteer puppy carer who socialises and sets the foundations for the puppies to move into advanced training where they spend 2 years learning over 50 specialised skills before they are matched with a person in need. It costs over $60,000 to train and accredit an Assistance Dog. They are placed with clients free of charge and can provide up to 8 years of life-changing support. During this time our clients are offered ongoing care and support from the Assistance Dogs Australia team.
People living with Physical Disabilities.
Assistance Dogs can support individuals with various physical disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis. Physical Assistance Dogs support navigating public spaces confidently leading to increased independence, social inclusion and improved quality of life. This might include in supermarkets, on public transportation, in cafes and restaurants and providing support for active participation in various social activities.
Children living with autism.
Autism Assistance Dogs uniquely address the increasing needs of children aged 5-14, a demographic where Autism is most prevalent by supporting social inclusion, the development of communications skills and navigating everyday living challenges. With the aid of an autism assistance dog, the formidable challenges in education and everyday activities are reduced by enabling the child to be grounded in difficult situations at home and in public and by building their self-esteem. The impact of an autism assistance dog is felt not only by the child but also in family relationships and through increased community participation.
People living with post-traumatic stress disorder.
For people living with PTSD and complex trauma an assistance dog provides a calming influence and sense of safety which helps to reduce both physical and psychosocial reactivity. This reduces the threat response and enables increased community engagement and calmer interpersonal interactions.
Educational Support
When an assistance dog is placed in an environment like a school, they are able to provide emotional support which has a positive impact on many people. Assistance Dogs Australia dogs are trained to recognise signs of anxiety and support students where loss of concentration, poor communication or antisocial behaviour is occurring. With a dog in the classroom students’ social interactions and learning engagement is encouraged.
