Assistance Dogs Australia

Guest Speaker  Richard Loyd - CEO of Assistance Dogs Australia

 

 

Richard gave an entertaining and interesting talk on the role assistance dogs play in many areas.

From helping autistic children,  assisting disabled people, as companions and in the Gaol system.

 

The dogs are trained and raised in the community and after 12 months are taken for to a national training base for

intensive work training.

 

Originally for working with autistic children the scope of work for the dogs now covers PTSD sufferers, Early onset Dementia and

at schools.

 

The dogs provide not only manual assistance for door opening or retrieving dropped items etc, but

are also a calming influence for families and school rooms.

 

There is no government funding for assistance dogs.

Each dog costs $30,000 and has a working life of ten years, then they retire.

The changeover from an old dog to a new dog has to be carefully managed!