Assistance Dogs Australia is a tiny but national charity that trains Labradors and Golden Retrievers to help people with physical disabilities. These dogs take two years to train at a cost of over $25,000 each but are given free of charge to people in need.

Assistance dogs open the door to freedom and independence for their recipients, helping with everyday tasks like opening and closing doors, retrieving dropped objects, removing items of clothing and barking in emergencies. But the best thing they provide is companionship and love-giving recipients a paw to hold in tough times and making them smile with just a wag of their tails.

Assistance Dogs Australia has placed over 130 dogs with recipients all over Australia; we have nearly 50 pups in training, many of which are training in the Pups in Prison program. Assistance Dogs Australia is currently helping so many people in Australia including our recipients, their families, their carers, inmates, young offenders and children with reading difficulties.

Assistance Dogs Australia relies solely on the generosity of the community, corporate and individual fundraisers. There are always around 50 people waiting for an Assistance dog and it can take up to three years until they are matched with the right Super Puppy partner. During Dogtober we want to raise enough money to train at least 20 super pups this Dogtober so we can dramatically change the lives of people in need.