Assistance Dogs Australia launches PAWS

Assistance Dogs Australia will be bringing together parents of children with autism to explore the potential that a pet dog might have within the family. The PAWS (Parents Autism Workshops and Support) program has been running successfully in the UK and the Netherlands for the past two years, and Assistance Dogs Australia will be seeking parents in Northern NSW to attend tailored workshops for existing and future dog owners.

The special chemistry shown between a child and dog through Assistance Dogs Australia’s work providing assistance dogs for families with a child with autism, has led ADA to realise that whilst for some children there will be a clear need for a fully trained assistance dog, a well-trained family pet dog can also have a massively beneficial impact.

For parents of autistic children who are considering getting a pet dog, the workshops will cover the pros and cons of getting a dog to help the child and the family. The workshops are designed to provide parents with the information and long-term support for sourcing, choosing, handling and training a pet dog specifically to benefit a child with autism and the family as a whole.

“We are very excited about this program, and are sure the families who attend the workshops will benefit from the advice about selecting and training a pet dog. The PAWS team will offer ongoing support to families after attending the workshops with telephone support and an online discussion forum” says Assistance Dogs Australia K9 trainer Carri Hoare.

Assistance Dogs Australia is a charity that trains Labradors and Golden Retrievers to give freedom and independence to people with physical disabilities. Assistance Dogs do everyday tasks for their recipients that people with physical disabilities find difficult if not impossible to achieve like opening and closing doors, pressing the button at the traffic lights, retrieving dropped items and even getting the phone. Each dog takes two years to train and is worth an investment of $27,000 but are placed with recipients free of charge.
For further information about how you can help and details about the PAWS Program please call Assistance Dogs Australia on 1800 688 364 or view the website at www.assistancedogs.org.au (PAWS – http://www.assistancedogs.org.au/pages/paws-program.html).