FAQs

This section includes:

  • Assistance Dogs Australia- the services we provide.

  • All about the Dogs

  • Legal concerns and queries

  • Get Involved

  • Events

  • Volunteering

  • Fundraising

  • Schools and clubs

  • Companies

  • General FAQ's

 

Assistance Dogs Australia- the services we provide.

1. What does an Assistance Dog do?  

Assistance Dogs are trained over a 2 year period to perform specific tasks that will help their recipients. These tasks include

  •       Picking up dropped items
  •       Opening and closing doors
  •       Pressing the button at the traffic lights
  •       Alert barking if their team mate is in trouble
  •       Getting bottles of water out of the fridge
  •       Getting the phone
  •       Unloading the washing machine
  •       Pay the cashier at the shops
  •       Help their team mate access public transport
  •       These dogs also provide unconditional supPAWt, companionship and love to their team mates
  •       They also act as an ice breaker when they are out and about in the community

These dogs are there to assist with tasks that are difficult or impossible for someone with a physical disability to do, they also offer greater independence and freedom.

It costs over $26,000 to train an Assistance Dog and provide a lifetime of support to our recipients. And we always provide the dogs FREE of CHARGE

2. What benefits does an Assistance Dog bring?

There are lots and lots of benefits an assistance dog can bring, there are the physical tasks mentioned above, which play a vital part in ensuring that the person is not reliant on their carer to do the basic of things such as open the door, pick an item up of the floor, go out to the shops.

An Assistance Dog is also know to improve  a persons confidence and self esteem because someone has far greater independence and freedom- they can finally do things by themselves without relying solely on a carer.

As with every dog, they also provide love and companionship. Many of our recipients have reported being very lonely and the dog not only supports them emotionally but also acts as a terrific ice breaker when out in public.

 

 

All about the Dogs

 

1. How are puppies raised and trained?  

The Program has five main elements:

  • Breeding/puppy purchasing,
  • Foster puppy raising,
  • PuppySchool,
  • ‘Team’ training and
  • Annual team accreditation.

a) Breeding/puppy purchase

Assistance Dogs Australia was registered to breed its own puppies in 2010 and has since bred one litter with further litters planned. For the vast majority of all other puppies we purchase them via reputable breeders. Initial tests are completed before each puppy is purchased to check their reactions, behaviour and temperament.

b)  Foster puppy raising:

Puppies are placed with volunteer raisers from the age of 8 weeks old until to 12 - 18 months. During this time puppies learn the basic commands and get used to lots of different environments and situations for example travelling in lifts, visiting shopping centres, walking on all types of flooring- anything to prepare the super pups for all eventualities.

Puppies are also raised through our Pups in Prison Program- click here for further details.

c) Puppy School

From the age of 12 - 18 months for approximately 6 months our puppies start intensive training where they learn the advanced tasks they need to be able to help their eventual recipient. These tasks include barking only in emergency, pulling out clothing from the washing machine and pressing the button at the traffic lights, plus lots, lots more. Overall an Assistance Dog will learn in excess of 40 commands.

In the last month of training, the puppy will be matched to their new team mate (recipient) – so their schooling will be depending on their team mates specific needs. For example if they work they dog maybe required to often pick up items like a computer mouse or pens. Their new team mate may like going to concerts or dirt tracks, they may live on a farm- so we would take the dogs to concerts, the track or to be around farm animals. Whatever is needed.

d)      Team training 

When a Service Dog is placed with their new team mate (recipient), a senior Assistance Dogs trainer will spend 5-10 days with the new team placing the dog. The trainer will ensure that the person is familiar with and can instruct the dog on all commands. The trainer will closely support the team until the recipient is fully in control of their Assistance Dog and has proved they are able to go out and about unaided by any other person.

e)     Annual team accreditation.

Each Service Dog has to have an annual PUBLIC ACCESS TEST to ensure the dog is safe and reliable out in public. Various tests are carried out such as being in a restaurant or a crowded place.

After a team (a new partnership) has been created all teams ‘Graduate’ in an official ceremony in their states main city.  This marks the official handover from the puppy raiser to the recipient and is a day of celebration. Click here for details of our last graduation.

2. Do Assistance Dogs have public access rights?  

Yes - Assistance Dogs Australia train Service Dogs which have full public access rights just like a guide dog or a hearing dog. Our dogs are distinguishable by their blue coat which has our logo and name on it. Our recipients also carry a license showing that the dog is currently allowed public access.

3. What is the difference between Service and Companion Dogs?

A Service Dog has full public access rights and can only be placed with an adult; a companion dog does not full public access rights but can be placed with an adult or child. See apply for a dog for a more detailed explanation.   

4. Who is eligible to apply for a dog?

Anyone with a physical disability or if under 18 an adult can apply on the child’s behalf. Click here for further information.

5. How long is the application process to apply for a Service or Companion dog?  

The process has a number of steps. First step is to fill in an application form which you can download from the 'Apply For a Dog' section of our website. Once this is submitted it is assessed by our staff. The second step is for a physical interview and a final interview once a dog may be available. Please wait at least 2 weeks for a formal reply to your application.

6. How long is the waiting list for one of the Service or Companion dogs?

It is difficult to put a time frame on how long it will take to get one of our dogs. We take great pride in matching the dog's personalities and strengths to the needs of each recipient. For this reason the first person on our list may not be suitable for the next dog to graduate.

7. Do you provide emotional therapy dogs?

No, currently our dogs are trained specifically to help people with physical disabilities. All Assistance Dogs do provide emotional support to their recipients but this is not their primary purpose. We do not train people’s own dogs, only our own from 8 weeks of age.

8. Do you provide dogs to help with anything other than physical disability?

We are currently trialling a Medical Alert Dog to detect blood sugar levels in people with unstable Type 1 Diabetes and are providing Companion Dogs to help children with Autism. If would like further information on this please contact us on T:1800 688 364 or info@assistancedogs.org.au.

9. Do you provide dogs for children that have multiple disabilities including learning disabilities?

The main focus of Assistance Dogs Australia is to provide dogs that assist people with physical disabilities. However we also place Companion Dogs with children with both physical disabilities and varying levels of communication difficulties including autism.We have found the children to become increasingly responsive towards their assistance dog significantly increasing their levels of communications.

10. Do you train and license other people's dogs?  

No. Assistance Dogs Australia only train and raise our own dogs and then in turn give those, free of charge, to recipients on our waiting list with physical disabilities. We are unable to train or certify other people's dogs.

11. Do Assistance Dogs Australia train Seizure Alert Dogs, Anxiety Dogs or other various types of dogs? 

We currently train dogs for people with physical disabilities, mainly those who use wheelchairs. However we are trialling a Medical Alert Dog Program (to detect blood sugar levels in people with Brittle Diabetes) We also provide Companion Dogs to children with Autism. You may find other organisations that may be able to help by visiting www.humananimalinteraction.org.au.

12. How do I get involved with the Dogs? 

This depends on what you are interested in, please see below a list of questions relating to training, volunteering and fostering

13. How can I volunteer at the National Training School?

The Assistance Dogs in training are undergoing skilled work and as much as we love our volunteers this is not the ideal place to begin a career with dogs if you have no experience.  As our dogs are being trained for specialised work we do require dog handling experience and suggest if you have not got any experience you may wish to begin volunteering at a local shelter initially.  When volunteer opportunities do arise they include: walking, grooming, bathing, toileting and playing with the dogs, as well as assisting at events.  To volunteer at the National Training School we ask you to advise on the volunteer form how much dog handling experience you have. 

14. How do I become a Casual Kennel Hand?

We have a team of casual staff that assist at weekends and during busy periods, and there may occasionally be positions available.  If you have a mature disposition, have dog handling/kennel experience and are local to our National Training School (Heathcote, NSW) please send in your resume and availability through our email info@assistancedogs.org.au putting in the subject line “For the Attention of the K9 Programs Manager: Casual Kennel Hand”.  Please note although you will be shown how to appropriately handle the dogs in training these are not training positions but are for the cleaning of the kennels, grooming, exercising and general well being of the dogs.

15. How do I Become a Dog Trainer?  

We receive a lot of correspondence requesting advice on how to become a Dog Trainer. Assistance Dogs Australia does not provide Dog training courses, but hopefully, the following information will help those of you wishing to follow this type of career.

It is advisable that people gain as much practical experience as possible. This can be in the form of attending a local dog training school and observing the Trainer, working as a kennel assistant at a boarding kennels or voluntary work at a dog rescue centre. The more practical experience you can demonstrate you have to a prospective employer, the better.

Dog training centres near to you can be found either via your local veterinary practice, by looking in the yellow pages or searching the internet. Although it is not a requirement that we insist upon when advertising for Dog Trainers, a course in Animal Management can also be a useful tool. These courses tend to be run at Agricultural or Community Colleges, so contact your nearest one to enquire whether they run these. A dog grooming course could also prove to be beneficial.  There are a variety of dog training courses available within Australiaand although we do not recommend any particular course it is advisable to choose a course using the latest training skills focusing on operant conditioning and positive reinforcement.  In addition linking in with organisations such as the APDT (The Association of Pet Dog Trainers) will assist you in networking and gaining knowledge to be flexible in your approach to training which is critical when working with Service Dogs.

There is a lot of competition for the very few jobs that become available in this type of field. Therefore, it is recommend that you are determined that being a Dog Trainer is the career for you and that you are the right type of person for the job; remember that being a Dog Trainer often means working in all weathers, working unsociable hours, travelling interstate, sometimes at short notice so you must be extremely committed.

For Assistance Dogs Australia It is not just about the dogs, our trainers interact with Volunteer Puppy Raisers, Recipients and the General Public on a regular basis.  Therefore, due to the high demand for these roles the K9 Programs Manager will also be looking for strong people skills when recruiting.  Training in Counselling, Psychology or as an Occupational Therapist and/or a good understanding of physical disabilities would be beneficial.

We have very few Dog Trainer vacancies that arise, but when they do they are advertised on our website, which is updated regularly.

16. How do I become a volunteer puppy trainer with Assistance Dogs Australia?

Assistance Dogs Australia is occasionally looking for volunteer trainers to run classes and work with our Puppy Raisers in various locations aroundAustralia. Previous positive reinforcement based dog training experience and experience teaching humans to teach their dogs is a must. If you are a dog trainer who is interested in donating your time to run puppy classes and work with our puppy raisers please contact us on  T:1800 688 364 or info@assistancedogs.org.au for more information.

17. How do I foster a puppy?

You can raise or provide short term care (known as puppy sitting) for an assistance dog pup – please visit the Get involved section for more details.

 

18. Who is eligible to foster or raise a puppy?

There are set guidelines around puppy raising and socialising, click here for more information.

19. What is puppy raising?

Puppy Raising is a volunteer opportunity where individuals and families take our dogs in training into their own home for the first 10 - 16 months of its life whilst undertaking basic training and socialisation. See our Puppy Raising page for more information.

20. What is Puppy Sitting?  

Puppy Sitting is a volunteer opportunity where individuals and families take our dogs when their puppy raisers are unable to look after them due to personal commitments. It may last as short as a weekend or may go for a few weeks. See our Puppy Sitting page for more information.

21. What training methods do Assistance Dogs Australia use?

Assistance Dogs Australia’s trainers and volunteer puppy carers use positive training methods to elicit and motivate desired behaviours in our dogs. Desired behaviours are rewarded and undesired behaviours are redirected, in this way desired behaviour increases while undesired behaviour decreases. With a combination of luring, shaping, chaining and positive reinforcement we teach our puppies a number of different cues over their training period.

Training starts at 8 weeks of age and all our puppies go through age appropriate basic obedience and experience appropriate socialisation activities in the community prior to entering the Advanced Stage of their training. Crate training is used to help our pups toilet train and to provide them with a safe place to sleep. We also socialise our pups with other animals and a variety of people so that they learn confidence and calmness in different situations. During the Advanced Training period our pups are taught advanced tasks, such as pressing a pedestrian crossing button or walking next to a wheelchair, in small steps over a number of training sessions until the entire task is learnt.

Training is a fun experience for our dogs and they enjoy coming to classes, visiting different environments and practising their cues.  

22. How much does it cost to train an Assistance Dog?

All in all it costs just over $26,000 to train each Assistance Dogs. This includes everything from the purchase of the puppy (around $1400) to their food, vaccinations, their time at the national training school to placement and a life time of follow up care. We ale ways provide our Assistance Dogs FREE OF CHARGE

23. Can I visit the dogs?

Our National Training School in the Sutherland Shire, Sydney, is not yet open to the public however groups interested in visiting for a training demonstration are sometimes accepted. Please contact us on T: 1800 688 364 or info@assistancedogs.org.au to discuss. Unfortunately you can’t visit the younger pups as they are raised by a volunteer raiser in their home.

The pups also attend public events and activities of which you will be informed of. All sponsor a puppy members are invited to Assistance Dogs events which of course gives you the opportunity to meet some or all of the sponsored puppy gang.

24. Why can’t I pat an Assistance Dog?

Touching is a distraction and may prevent the dog from tending to his human partner. Be sensitive to the fact the dog is working and may be in the middle of a command or direction. Most dogs need to be given a cue to allow them to interact with someone.

 Whether the Assistance Dog is in training already graduated please always ask the handler before interacting with the dog. This includes talking to or making sounds at the dog as well as touching it.

25. Why can’t I feed an Assistance Dog?

Never offer an Assistance Dog any food, this is the ultimate distraction for a dog that is trying hard to do its job. It is important for an Assistance Dog to maintain good health and fitness in order for it to continue doing it’s job. Our recipients feed their dogs high quality dog food.

26. Don’t you train failed Guide dogs?

No we don’t. All our dogs are trained with us from the age of 8 weeks old. To ensure we provided the highest quality of Assistance Dog, and have a full history on the dogs’ behaviour, temperament, experiences and so forth.

 

 

Legal questions and public concerns

1. What is a recognised Assistance Dog?

A “recognised Assistance Dog” is one which has been specifically trained to assist a person with a disability. Assistance dogs trained by members of Assistance Dogs Australia will have a formal identification and have been granted on the basis that the dog’s high standards of training, behaviour, health and welfare are such that it should be permitted to accompany its client, owner, or team mate, at all times and in all places, in any country.

Assistance dogs is the generic term that refers to dogs helping those with physical disabilities, visual impairment, hearing loss or other known disabilities.  Another term commonly used is Service Dogs.

Assistance Dogs from other nations, when entering Australia, should meet the full membership criteria of Assistance Dogs International.  

2. How do I know that the person who is accompanied by an Assistance Dogs has a disability ?

Every owner of an Assistance dog has an ID badge to prove they are a registered Assistance Dogs team.

3. Why should I allow a disabled person to be accompanied by their Assistance Dog?

Any person with a disability has the right to be accompanied by an assistance animal into any public building or public place and on to any form of public transport. In doing so the person cannot be charged with an offense and in fact any person who refuses entry with out reasonable cause can be prosecuted. Any entry fee must not be charged to an animal that is an assistance animal.  

This statement is from a NSW Law Society publication (page 21), but the basic rule that it is illegal to discriminate against or refuse entry to a person with an Assistance dog applies.

References per state

Other useful documents

4. Can an Assistance Dogs be a health hazard?

Assistance Dogs Australia acknowledges that it would not be reasonable for any dog to be allowed access into somewhere with a “no dogs policy” if it were to constitute a risk to anybody’s Health or Safety. For this reason all Assistance Dogs receive special training and healthcare and are tested on a regular basis to ensure that they do not present any risks.

5. How can you be sure an Assistance Dog won’t bite anyone?

All Assistance Dogs are selected by experts in order to ensure their trustworthy temperament. They are continually assessed in a variety of situations over a period of several months before they are considered ready to be qualified. Each dog is then tested on a yearly basis. It would not be possible to guarantee the temperament of dogs if this long careful assessment process were not undertaken over several months.

6. How can you be sure an Assistance Dog won’t put anyone’s safety at risk because of their behaviour?

All Assistance Dogs are trained by expert dog-trainers over a period of two years in order to ensure that they are entirely under control at all times and that they won’t constitute any sort of risk or nuisance to anyone. For example, Assistance Dogs are trained to lie quietly under the table when their team mate is eating at a restaurant. Their standards are assessed in a variety of situations over a period of several months before they are considered ready to be qualified. All Assistance Dogs must pass various tests and these include tests relating not only to their standards of obedience but also proving that the dogs do perform the practical assistive tasks that their team mate requires.

7. How can you be sure an  Assistance Dog won’t put anyone’s health at risk?

All Assistance Dogs are regularly vaccinated, wormed and de-fleaed in accordance with the very latest veterinary advice, using the very best products.

8. How can you be sure that the disabled person is able to handle their dog and ensure its healthcare, in the same way as the dog’s expert trainer?

Assistance Dogs Australia provides professional training and support in all aspects of dog behaviour, training and welfare in order that every recipient has been equipped to handle a dog in a variety of situations. Each Dog and their team mate also undertakes an annual public access test to ensure health, training and behaviour is up to date and acceptable.

9. How can you guarantee that an Assistance Dogs maintain the same high standards of behaviour for the whole of their working life, regardless of whether their disabled partner’s circumstances change?

Because every single ‘team’ receive a life time of support from Assistance Dogs Australia which includes yearly public access tests.

10. What if a problem suddenly arises with an Assistance Dog or its recipient which means that the standards of the partnership fall?

All members of Assistance Dogs Australia agree to control the standards of all their Assistance Dogs at all times. As soon as any problem were to arise, resulting in a drop in standards, whether due to a change of circumstances in either the dog or the human partner, Assistance Dogs Australia would take immediate action to address the situation. Partnerships only maintain their recognised status if the necessary standards are maintained.

11. How can an Assistance Dog be identified as different to a pet dog?  

Every person Assistance Dogs Australia has provided with a Service Dog will carry a laminated ID card with a photo of their dog and themselves as well as our logo. All Assistance Dogs wear jackets showing clear identification of the dog as a Assistance Dog, including the Assistance Dogs Australia logo. In the event of the standard of the partnership falling below the necessary standard, all such identification is removed. 

12. Can my pet dog be registered as an Assistance Dog?

No not by us. Assistance Dogs are highly trained and their temperament is tested over a long training period. It would not be feasible for us to be able to assess a dog effectively without knowing its entire history and observing it for a long period of time.

No state apart fromQueenslandcan offer any type of registration on your own pet being recognised as of ‘assistance’ to your needs.

In Queenslandthere are qualified dog trainers that do specialise in registering peoples dogs as assistance dogs BUT this is only for residents of Queensland. Assistance Dogs Australia recommends that you review the government website http://www.qld.gov.au/  for more information

13. I am a recognised assistance dog owner and have been refused access to a public place. What should I do?

Being refused access can be a very humiliating and stressful thing to deal with. A lot of service providers are just not aware of their legal obligations. You could provide  them with the relevant legal information (see question 3), inform your local police station or contact us and we can talk to them on your behalf.

14. Where can I go to get a Psychiatric Service Dog?

Assistance Dogs Australia can not recommend any particular organisations. For more general information visit http://www.humananimalinteraction.org.au/

 

Get Involved  

1. How can I get involved with Assistance Dogs Australia?

There are so many ways you could get involved from sponsoring a puppy, volunteering to hosting your own event to raise funds and awareness for Assistance Dogs Australia. Some of the following documents available to download may be useful:

Get Involved- short term

A) Join us in events

  • Get involved in some of our fantastic events in Assistance Dogs Australia week or Dogtober

B) Create your own event

  • Dog-stackle course
  • Dog-Bowl(ing) - Any form of bowling be it barefoot or lawns... the only catch is that the losing team makes a donation to Assistance Dogs
  • Bone-appetite: Make a packed lunch for a week and donate your lunch money to Assistance Dogs Australia
  • Bake and sell pup cakes or have a pup-cake bake off!
  • Host a sausage sizzle and invite the neighbours round

Get involved medium term

Get involved long-term

For a full list of Get Involved Ideas click here.

For plenty more ideas please review the fundraising page

 

Get involved- Events

2. What type of event could I create?

It’s your choice! If you down the A to Z Fundraising Ideas that will give you plenty of information, but some quick ideas are:

  • Bake and Sell pup-cakes (or have a pup-cake bake-off)
  • Host a morning tea, all you need to do is provide tea/coffee and biscuits for a gold coin donation and let everyone bring their pooches along.
  • Take part in a sponsored event- create your own or join one like City to Surf or Swim-a-thon
  • Have a bring your dog to work/school/club day
  • Host a sausage sizzle and invite the neighbours round
  • Create a dog-stackle course for you and your doggie friends
  • Dog-Bowl- barefoot bowling, but the twist is that the losing team has to make a donation
  • Bone-appetite- Make a packed lunch for work and donate your lunch money or host a dinner party and charge you guests to sample your wonderful cuisine
  • Have a guess the dog to their owner photo competition at work or school, $2 entry
  • Be a Dogs-body- do tasks and errands in return for donations
  • Dog-Leg (Golf day, charge an entry fee)
  • Dog-tale- at work or school have a creative writing contest, then charge a coin donation for entry
  • Good Boy- teach your dog new tricks – get your friends to sponsor you to succeed

 

3. Do you have any Assistance Dogs events that I could join in with?

Indeed! We always need plenty of suPAWt during Dogtober (October) and Assistance Dogs Australia week- (last week in November) Plus there is our annual Hogs for Dogs ride every March.

4. What is Dogtober?

Dogtober is our annual; fundraising and awareness month held every October. The entire month is dedicated to celebrating your dog – in fact ALL dogs across the country. The pups want you to take fundraising into your own paws, organising doggy themed events or challenges to raise much needed funds and awareness for Assistance Dogs Australia. Visit www.dogtober.org.au for more information.

5. What is Assistance Dogs Australia Week?

It is a week held at the end of November to celebrate Assistance Dogs Australia, to recognise the people we support and the fantastic help Assistance Dogs provide. Look out for an event near you. 

6. Can my company get involved in events?

Of course! You can volunteer your time on the day of events or host your own event and we’ll join you with our latest puppies.  Read the Corporate fundraising page for more information.

 

Get Involved- Volunteering

7. What volunteer opportunities are available? 

Working with dogs- There are occasional volunteer dog training opportunities available for people with some dog handling and training skills. Any positions will be posted on the news section of our website or featured in our monthly e-newsletter ‘dog-e-tales’.  

Opportunities for puppy raising, sitting or looking after pups over the weekend are available- please click here for more information.

We often have volunteer opportunities relating to events or administration – check out the volunteer page on our website.  

8. Do you offer volunteer opportunities for groups or as part of a company package?

We can do, please review the volunteers page, the companies page or contact us on 1800 688 364 or info@assistancedogs.org.au

9. Can anyone under 18 volunteer?

Unfortunately not, we require all volunteers to be 18 or older.

 

Get Involved- Fundraising

10. What fundraising could I do?

There are lots of different ways to fundraise for Assistance Dogs Australia, you could:

  • Create an event or activity at home, work or school
  • Undertake a sponsored challenge
  • Gather donations from a celebration like a birthday or wedding
  • Purchase or re-sell Assistance Dogs Australia merchandise
  • Take part in one of our own events such as Dogtober.

For detailed information and support have a look at our fundraising page or download these handy documents.

11. Can I fundraise online?

Yes of course, Assistance Dogs Australia recommend that you fundraise online with

Everyday Hero      

Go Fundraise

Click here for more details

12. How can I support Assistance Dogs financially?

There are lots of ways; one of the best ways to support Assistance Dogs Australia  is to sponsor a super pup. By making a regular monthly contribution you creates a reliable source of revenue for the organisation which allows us to better plan for the future, it also keeps our administration costs down. Sponsor a pup today!

You could also consider a one off donation, host your own event or if you work make a donation through your pay or get your company involved. . Contact us for more information T: 1800 688 364 e: info@assistancedogs.org,au

13. How does my money help?

Your money helps in so many ways, its costs just over $26,000 to fully train and support an assistance dog, for example:

  • $25 Could pay for two days accommodation of a super puppy trainee
  • $37 Could pay for a puppies first training cape
  • $50 Could pay for advanced puppy training equipment like tug ropes and traffic buttons
  • $100 Could pay for a specialised Assistance Dogs Australia  jacket, collar and lead to keep a newly qualified Assistance Dog and their owner safe
  • $320 Could pay for all a puppies vaccinations
  • $500 Could pay for a weeks advanced training for a super pup
  • $1400 Could purchase a new puppy

14. What is sponsor a puppy?

Sponsor a puppy is your chance to sponsor your own puppy gang, to be part of their amazing journey- from the start of their training as a beautiful 8 week old bundle of fluff – as they grow, learn, go to school, right through until they meet their team mate when they are two years old. 

As a sponsor a puppy member you will receive regular updates and receive photos of your puppies along with a photo frame.

Click here for information on sponsor a puppy.

 

Get Involved –Schools and Clubs

14. Can I fundraise with my school or club?

Of course! Download some fundraising ideas

15. Would you visit my school/club/company?

Whenever possible we try to visit with our dogs, we can give talks on Assistance Dogs Australia and show demonstrations of what these special dogs can do. We can also come along for morning tea just so you can have a puppy cuddle with your cuppa/juice. As a registered charity a donation per visit would be asked for. Contact us on 1800 688 364 or email info@assistancedogs.org.au for more information.  

Click here for fundraising ideas for schools

16. Do you have any school packs or programs?

We don’t have any downloadable school packs at this present time, but we do have two services that we can offer schools:

  • Reading Labs-(limited availability)
  • School visits- an Assistance Dogs Australia talk and demonstration (see Q15)

 

Get Involved Companies

17. Which companies do you work with?

We work with a number of companies large and small, these include:

Qantas Staff Credit Union, Optus, CSR, Westfield’s, Westpac, Paw Club, The Good Guys, PETstock, Toll, Goodwill Wines, The Gold Company, Mitsubishi, and Genworth plus others. 

18. What do companies have to say about Assistance Dogs Australia?

Read testimonials from Optus and Qantas Staff Credit Union

19. How can my company get involved?

There are so many ways your company can get involved from volunteering, hosting your own event, to sponsoring your very own super pup- click here for more details or download our fundrasing at work suggestions.

 

General FAQ

1. How much does it cost to train an Assistance Dog?

It costs $26,000 to provide an Assistance Dog. This includes everything from the purchase of a puppy, their food, veterinary care, training, placement and lifetime support.

2. Do you charge recipients for their dog?

Absolutely not! All dogs are provided FREE of CHARGE

3. How much government funding does Assistance Dogs Australia get?

None. All of our funding comes from private donations, corporate sponsorship, fundraising events and philanthropic donations. All our funds go to training the dogs to help people physical disabilities which are provided free of charge.

4. Can anyone anywhere apply for an Assistance Dog?

Yes, Assistance Dogs Australia places dogs all over Australia

5.  Where is Assistance Dogs Australia based?

Assistance Dogs Australia is based all over Australia. We have staff and volunteers in nearly all states. This includes

  • Wagga Wagga, NSW
  • Morington Peninsula, VIC
  • Melbourne, VIC
  • Perth,WA
  • Adelaide, SA
  • Sydney, NSW,
  • Brisbane, QLD
  • Port Macquarie, NSW

6. At what age does an Assistance Dog stop working?

 Usually a dog retires around the age of 10-11 meaning it has a working life of 8-9 years. This is dependant dog by dog. As a dog matures it visits the vet more frequently to ensure it is still in the best of health.

7. What happens when the dog retires, where does it go?

All the dogs go to very good homes. The recipient is offered the dog first, and in many cases as the recipient can’t keep their current dog as they need a new dog, the retiring dog goes to family members so that they can still see the dog on a regular basis. We have had instances where the dog has gone back to its original puppy raiser. Otherwise we have a very long waiting list of people ready and willing to care for the dogs.

8. What happens to the person when their dog retires?

That person will be prioritised to receive their next Assistance Dog as soon a possible. As we monitor the teams (recipients and dogs) throughout their partnership we usually know when this need will arise.

9. What is the difference between yourselves and other service dog organisations?

We train dogs for people with physical disabilities, and we provide our dogs FREE of CHARGE

10. Why don’t you work with other service dog organisations?

Many other service dog organisations offer support and help to people with other types of disabilities therefore different training is required. We do however work as a collective through Assistance Dogs International.

11. How many disabled people are there in Australia?

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics

The ABS defined a disability as ‘any limitation, restriction or impairment, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least six months and restricts everyday activities’.

It was estimated that 1,238,600 people or 6.3% of the Australian population experienced disabilities with a ‘profound or severe core activity limitation’ i.e. they either always, or sometimes need assistance with self-care, mobility or communication. This total was made up of 677,700 people under 65 years of age and 560,900 aged 65 and over.

Click here for more information 

12. Do you only help certain disabilities?

Recipients include people with C4 quadriplegia, paraplegia and developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. Assistance Dogs Australia will offer support to anyone with a physical disability whether it was acquired through an accident, a disability someone was born with or they developed later in life.

The dogs are there to act as the arms and hands of a person.

13. Do you ever have to say no to applicants? 

In very rare circumstances, but that is usually because the persons disability is not physical or because an Assistance Dog would not provide them with further independence or support.

14. How do you let people know that this service is available?

Through hospitals, therapy rehabilitation units and other disability services; through marketing and Word Of Mouth.

15. Do you have information to download to let people know you exist?

You can download our brochure  or contact us directly for more information.

16. How many people apply for an Assistance Dog every year?

The number of applications varies and is increasing as Assistance Dogs Australia becomes better known.

17. How can I get in touch with Assistance Dogs Australia?

Tel: 1800 688 364  E: info@assistancedogs.org.au  or sign up to our e-newsletter

 

Still got more questions, then get In touch:Contact us on T: 1800 688 364 

E: info@assistancedogs.org.au F: 0295483766


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