About Us
Assistance K9 was founded in 2016 by Jessica Torrance. The organisation partners and trains assistance dogs for individuals with a wide range of disabilities to live fuller, independent lives. Some disabilities are visible, such as mobility impairment, whereas others, like many neurological or psychiatric disabilities, are “invisible” and cannot simply be seen.
Assistance Dogs are often defined by their job or the type of Assistance Dog group they fall into. “He’s a Seizure Assistance Dog,” or “He’s a PTSD dog,” someone might say. However, the types of disabilities an Assistance Dog can help with are rarely discussed.
There is an untold number of disabilities, but nearly all of them fit into four categories: physical disabilities, intellectual/developmental disabilities, sensory disabilities, and psychiatric disabilities. Some organisations also include neurological disabilities as a fifth category. Others define neurological disabilities based on their effects and whether those effects are physical, sensory and other symptoms.
There is an untold number of disabilities, but nearly all of them fit into four categories: physical disabilities, intellectual/developmental disabilities, sensory disabilities, and psychiatric disabilities. Some organisations also include neurological disabilities as a fifth category. Others define neurological disabilities based on their effects and whether those effects are physical, sensory and other symptoms.
Assistance Dogs work to help people with disabilities complete daily tasks, chores, and activities they’re unable to do on their own due to their disability. Since each person with a disability has different needs, every Service Dog team is unique. Some Service Dogs perform many tasks to help their person, and others only do one or two things.
Once individuals are accepted into the Assistance K9 Training Program open and welcoming community, they are partnered with a dog and attend training sessions for up to 2 years. Assistance K9 training sessions are private or kept small to ensure personalised attention for each assistance dog handler; throughout the time spent with us, the handler and dog bond and learn how to work together as a team.
The dogs are trained through three different streams in the Assistance K9 Training Program; Program Training is when a trainer trains a dog to the standard of public access and task training for a recipient; Co-Training, the handler receives the dog, fosters the dog during training, attends intensive training sessions with program trainers to be coached with training the dog to the standard of public access and task training; Blended training is when there is a combination of Program Training and Co-Training. Dog's and handlers are trained with an uncompromising commitment to excellence, to the standard of Guide Hearing and Assistance Dog Act Queensland Accreditation by undertaking a meticulously constructed training program.
Funding for Assistance Dogs comes from the individuals and their families, individuals' generosity in the community, corporations, foundations, businesses, and community organisations.
Assistance Dog handlers are sometimes excluded from public places because some people don’t understand an assistance dog's role. Assistance K9 runs education programs for businesses and public access places to promote access and equity of Assistance Dogs.
Assistance dog programs are evolving rapidly due to people realising the benefits of an Assistance Dog availing a person living with a disability. Assistance K9 collaborates with disability advocacy services, other Assistance Dog organisations, allied health, medical professionals, dog breeders, animal welfare and rescue groups, other private dog training facilities, businesses, and public venues. It relies on the support of the wider community. We could not train Assistance dogs for successful outcomes without their generosity and kindness, to which we are incredibly grateful.