Assistance Dogs Don’t Just Change Lives, They Save Lives.

Who knows what could have happened if Dora the Assistance Dog was not there?

Amanda has cerebral palsy quadriplegia and uses a wheelchair. All her life, she has been prone to painful muscle spasms and dislocations.

Amanda fell in the bathroom and was knocked unconscious. Apart from her dogs, she was completely alone. It would take something — or someone — extraordinary to rescue her. Amanda said:

“Dora worked out that I wasn’t going to wake up. So she opened the door on her own accord, and went over the road to get my neighbour. And he came back with Dora.

When he got here, he saw that there was a phone and two towels on the floor next to me. Dora did everything to help me.”

Life-Changing Assistance Dog Skills

So far, Amanda has been given three Assistance Dogs separately over the course of her life – first Tiggy, then Dora, and now Ray.

With Ray by her side, Amanda can proudly live independently in her own home. She no longer needs a support worker in the afternoons because of Ray’s support. Here are some of Ray’s skills:

• Picks up dropped items and returns them directly to Amanda, which happens often because Amanda doesn’t have full use of her hands. This includes delicate things like yoghurt containers, fiddly items like crochet needles, and her mobile phone. Without Ray, Amanda could be waiting hours for help.
• Takes clothes out of the front-loader washing machine and dryer.
• Presses the pedestrian crossing button when Amanda can’t reach it.
• Pays for items at the shops by putting Amanda’s wallet on the counter.
• Retrieves items while shopping at the supermarket.
• Opens the front door for guests, support workers, and occasionally, ambulance officers.

Ray helps Amanda do her laundry. Just call him Laund-ray!

Clients say their Assistance Dog helped with:

• Increased ability to gain employment.
• Reduction in medication use and suicide.
• Reduction in carer hours and other medical support.
• Increased independence.
• Improved mental health.
• Bringing the family together again.
• Building a sense of safety at home and out in public.

We need your help

An Assistance Dog means more safety, independence, and joy for someone living with a disability.

However, the wait for an Assistance Dog is too long. People like Amanda do not know when they will finally receive the help they need.

We urgently need to raise $120,000 before December 31 to help train pups like Hippo, Herbie, and Hannie. Will you please send another kind donation today?

Without your help, puppy training could be delayed, and people living with a disability will have to wait even longer for an Assistance Dog.

Assistance Dogs Don’t Just Change Lives, They Save Lives.

Who knows what could have happened if Dora the Assistance Dog was not there?

Amanda has cerebral palsy quadriplegia and uses a wheelchair. All her life, she has been prone to painful muscle spasms and dislocations.

Amanda fell in the bathroom and was knocked unconscious. Apart from her dogs, she was completely alone. It would take something — or someone — extraordinary to rescue her. Amanda said:

“Dora worked out that I wasn’t going to wake up. So she opened the door on her own accord, and went over the road to get my neighbour. And he came back with Dora.

When he got here, he saw that there was a phone and two towels on the floor next to me. Dora did everything to help me.”

Life-Changing Assistance Dog Skills

So far, Amanda has been given three Assistance Dogs separately over the course of her life – first Tiggy, then Dora, and now Ray.

With Ray by her side, Amanda can proudly live independently in her own home. She no longer needs a support worker in the afternoons because of Ray’s support. Here are some of Ray’s skills:

• Picks up dropped items and returns them directly to Amanda, which happens often because Amanda doesn’t have full use of her hands. This includes delicate things like yoghurt containers, fiddly items like crochet needles, and her mobile phone. Without Ray, Amanda could be waiting hours for help.
• Takes clothes out of the front-loader washing machine and dryer.
• Presses the pedestrian crossing button when Amanda can’t reach it.
• Pays for items at the shops by putting Amanda’s wallet on the counter.
• Retrieves items while shopping at the supermarket.
• Opens the front door for guests, support workers, and occasionally, ambulance officers.

Ray helps Amanda do her laundry. Just call him Laund-ray!

Clients say their Assistance Dog helped with:

• Increased ability to gain employment.
• Reduction in medication use and suicide.
• Reduction in carer hours and other medical support.
• Increased independence.
• Improved mental health.
• Bringing the family together again.
• Building a sense of safety at home and out in public.

We need your help

An Assistance Dog means more safety, independence, and joy for someone living with a disability.

However, the wait for an Assistance Dog is too long. People like Amanda do not know when they will finally receive the help they need.

We urgently need to raise $120,000 before December 31 to help train pups like Hippo, Herbie, and Hannie. Will you please send another kind donation today?

Without your help, puppy training could be delayed, and people living with a disability will have to wait even longer for an Assistance Dog.