Program Update

Gearing up for graduations

With COVID border closures, travel restrictions and prison lockdowns since 2020, we have been unable to train the dogs in person as normal. We were also unable to provide any handover workshops and subsequently graduate our Veteran ready dogs.

As a result, an increased number of dogs were held within the program’s training stage at the prison - with most prisoners caring for and training two and sometimes three dogs at a time, not to mention bunking in together.

With a larger number of dogs being trained simultaneously, we experienced an increased need for staff support, training and equipment costs, and vet bills.

COVID became a time to adapt our learning methods, to innovate and adopt technology to stay connected; including the use of go pros to teach and assess inmate dog handlers during the lockdowns.

Whilst COVID times have provided logistical and financial challenges, we are now in the fortunate position of being able to graduate a large number of highly trained Assistance Dogs in the next 12-18 months.

Providing us with a significant group of highly trained dogs ready to hand over to Veterans with PTSD to provide welfare and mental health support.

Our focus for the beginning of 2022 has been on readying the dogs to be paired with and handed over to their Veterans.

You can help the program’s readiness to graduate more of our Veteran ready dogs by donating today. All our donations and sponsorships are processed through our program guardian,
the Defence Bank Foundation and are tax deductible.
ABN: 19 814 426 820.