Dogs to transform autism sufferers’ lives
Bobby and Molly have spent the last four months in training with Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland (AADI).
The fledgling voluntary organisation, based in Quartertown in Mallow, Co Cork, handed the dogs over to mothers Vivienne Doyle-Quinn and Edel Shaw.
Molly is going to Ms Doyle- Quinn’s home to help her six-year-old son Daniel.
Ms Doyle-Quinn was Miss Ireland 1998 and represented the country at the Miss World contest in the Seychelles.
Bobby is heading to Portarlington to help Ms Shaw’s seven- year-old son Jack.
The mothers will spend the next few days getting to know the dogs before bringing them home over the weekend to meet their children.
AADI was co-founded in April by Breeda Clancy, Nuala Geraghty and Cliona O’Rourke, who all have experience working in the voluntary sector. Ms Clancy has experience in fundraising and Ms Geraghty and Ms O’Rourke are experts in assistance dog training.
They saw a need to provide a primary service in training dogs for children with autism.
“AADI trains assistance dogs to European standards. We are very excited to see Bobby and Molly go to their new families,” AADI’s director of fundraising Breeda Clancy said.
She said the assistance dogs will bring huge positive changes to the lives of children with autism.
“The dogs can provide independence and safety for the children, allowing them to go out in public, act as an unconditional source of love and affection for the child and help them to improve interaction and socialisation skills,” Ms Clancy said.
The charity’s dogs and puppies have been donated by rescue centres and breeders from around the country.
The charity aims to train and place up to 20 dogs a year in family homes.
All the puppies will take part in a 12-month fostering programme before undergoing an intensive four-to-six-month training scheme, at which point they will be matched with a suitable family.
The charity also appealed last night for volunteer puppy foster carers and for volunteers to help with local and national fundraising drives, including bag packing, coffee mornings, flag days, and selling calendars.
Sponsorship opportunities will also be available.
- www.autismassistancedogsireland.ie and you can find AADI on Facebook.
