About K9Assistance
K9Assistance (Limited) was founded to promote the acceptance and use of Assistance Dogs for Persons with Disabilities in Singapore.
K9Assistance Limited is a registered Charity with the Commissioner of Charities. And an associate member of the National Council of Social Service.
We provide:
Education to schools, businesses, and organisations on Assistance Dogs
Assistance Dogs to Persons with Disabilities
Verification of Assistance Dog Teams
Our Cornerstone
Genuine inclusiveness is the foundation of our work.
Mission
To improve the lives of the disabled through Assistance Dogs.
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Vision
Every person with disability and their Assistance Dog will lead life to the fullest.
Goal
To be the go-to resource for anything on Assistance Dogs in Singapore and uphold public confidence towards Assistance Dogs and their handlers.
Core Values
Respect
Empowerment
Sustainability
Professionalism
Enrichment
Collaboration
Trust
Message From Founding Chairman
Hello, I am Cassandra Chiu - a psychotherapist, social advocate and speaker who also happens to be blind. On top of my professional identities, I am also a handler of a Seeing-Eye Dog, a type of Assistance Dog.
Having an Assistance Dog has given me back my life!
From the moment I got my first Assistance Dog, Esme, in 2011, she has unimaginably improved my mobility, acting as my eyes on the ground and enabling me to travel safely and independently. After Esme came Elke, who is my current four-legged assistant. Together, they have changed my life for the better.
However, the road was not always smooth. In the early days, many people did not know what an Assistance Dog was, nor did they understand that Assistance Dogs are well-behaved and are allowed in public spaces.
Thankfully, with years of help from the media and many supporters, Singaporeans have grown to understand and welcome Assistance Dogs. These days, I often hear little children explain to their parents that Assistance Dogs are allowed on trains, buses, in eateries, and in shopping malls.
I am very, very grateful for the outpouring of understanding and kindness from Singaporeans for the blind and our seeing-eye dogs.
My dream is for the same kindness to be extended to all assistance dogs so that people with different types of disabilities can also reclaim their life with the help of their own specially-trained canine companions!
I hope that you will join me. Together, let’s create a better place for all of us!
K9Assistance Board Of Directors
Mr Andrew Chew
Andrew Chew is a passionate leader in the disability field, being involved in the charity sector for close to thirty years.
Andrew was on the board of the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, one of the founding Directors of Guide Dogs Singapore, on the Technical Committee of the International Blind Sports Federation, as well as instrumental in gaining recognition for ten-pin bowling as an acknowledged sport worldwide for the blind and vision-impaired.
While professing to have a fear of dogs, Andrew was deeply touched when he witnessed on multiple occasions the remarkable work of Assistance Dogs who have helped their disabled handlers lead dignified and fulfilling lives. This realisation led him to be committed to seeing as many Assistance Dogs as possible to empower persons with disabilities in his beloved Singapore.
Dr Kent Soon
Kent Soon is a veterinarian and an animal advocate.
Having worked in mostly large small-animal practices in the UK and now at a veterinary hospital in Singapore, he believes in providing the utmost level of care and attention for his patients and their handlers. Previously, he actively assisted Mandai Wildlife Reserves Singapore on wildlife conservation and was involved in LEO/LION’s club activities.
Jonathan Foster
Jonathan Foster has more than 30 years’ experience working in the Life Sciences and Consulting industries, specialising in technology-based solutions and managing businesses in Asia and Europe. He currently volunteers with three Singapore-based charities, including K9Assistance.
Dr Dawn-Joy Leong
Dr. Dawn-joy Leong is a researcher and multidisciplinary artist with an MPhil in music composition and a PhD in autism, neurodiversity and multi-art practice.
Dawn-joy is Autistic with multiple medical disabilities. She is an internationally renowned autism and neurodiversity advocate and her professional work has been presented in Australia, the U.K., Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Singapore.
Lucy Like-a-Charm, a Greyhound rescued from the racing industry in Australia, was Dawn’s Autism Assistance dog for nine years, and Singapore’s first certified Assistance Dog who is not a Seeing-Eye Dog.
Lucy is now retired but remains Dawn’s creative muse and closest companion. Together, the pair have experienced amazing adventures across continents, a few groundbreaking achievements, and continue to find new ways to sense and Be.
Dr Navin Nair
Navin Nair is an IT and HR professional, associate research writer and social advocate.
Since 2006, Navin has been a strong advocate for disability, diversity, and inclusion in Singapore. He is the Country Representative Volunteer (Singapore) at the Division for Inclusive Social Development of the United Nations and a board member of the Handicap Welfare Association as well as the Disabled People’s Association.
Mr Shalom Lim
Shalom is an advocate and artist who lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. He is a BA (Hons) Criminology and Security graduate from the University of Liverpool.
Shalom is also a Board member at the Disabled People's Association since 2023, and an inclusion champion with SG Enable since April 2021.
His passion is in empowering the lives and well-being of the disabled in Singapore. Shalom was also awarded the Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards 2023 (Promise) category.
Meet The K9Assistance Team
Ms Cassandra Chiu
Cassandra Chiu joined K9Assistance as its Executive Director in September 2022.
She is a blind advocate for persons with disabilities and a leader in the disability sector. Cassandra shares with us:
“As one of the very few disabled heads of agencies, I see my role as a beacon for the next generation of advocates. My own experience as an Assistance Dog handler over the past decade made me aspire that one day, Singapore will be truly welcoming to all disabled people with their Assistance Dog.”
Mariah Yamaguchi
Mariah is our Client Services Executive who is eager to be involved in our client's Assistance Dog journey, making their lives as easy as possible. When she's not doing that, you can find her caring for stray animals and exploring various health modalities.
Vincent Lim
Vincent is a passionate individual with a desire to be of service to others. He also has a passionate love for dogs, having experienced firsthand the emotional support a pet dog can provide. He is eager to see the improvement of the lives of persons with disabilities, through the amazing work of Assistance Dogs!
Watch our Corporate Video
Charity Governance
K9Assistance is governed by a Board of Directors, which is the governing body responsible for overseeing and managing the charity.
The Board’s role is to provide strategic direction and oversight of K9Assistance’s programmes and objectives and to steer the charity towards fulfilling its vision and mission through good governance.
K9Assistance has robust policies
K9Assistance is governed by a Board of Directors, which is the governing body responsible for overseeing and managing the charity.
The Board’s role is to provide strategic direction and oversight of K9Assistance’s programmes and objectives and to steer the charity towards fulfilling its vision and mission through good governance.
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Finance of Terrorism ("AML-CFT") Policy
All of the Charity’s directors, employees, volunteers, and contractual parties are required to comply with the Charity's AML-CFT Policy.
Through the Policy, the Charity aims to detect, take appropriate action in response to, and engage the relevant authorities in connection with, money-laundering and terrorism financing-related risks.
Environment, Social, and Governance ("ESG") Policy
All of the Charity’s directors, employees, volunteers, and contractual parties are required to comply with the ESG policy.
Through The ESG Policy the charity aims to keep its activities environmentally friendly and sustainable, cultivate good relationships with its stakeholders, and maintain high governance standards.
Whistleblowing
K9Assistance has established a whistleblowing policy which provides the proper avenue for our clients, directors, employees, donors, vendors, volunteers, the authorities, and the Persons with Disabilities whom we serve, to raise concerns about actual or suspected improprieties in matters of financial reporting or other matters, and to receive feedback on any action taken.
The Whistleblowing Designated Officers can be reached by e-mail at whistleblower@k9assistance.sg
Data Protection
K9Assistance has established a Data Protection policy which provides the proper avenue for our clients, directors, employees, donors, vendors, volunteers, the authorities, and the Persons with Disabilities whom we serve, to raise concerns about actual or suspected improprieties in matters of data management, and to receive feedback on any action taken.
The Data Protection Officer can be contacted at woof@K9Assistance.sg or +65 8834 2810.
Download Our Annual Reports & Financial Statements
Careers at K9
Be part of something greater. With more than 170,000 people with disabilities in Singapore, our expressions of interest list for Assistance Dogs is ever-growing and the demand for more incredible Assistance Dogs is higher than ever.
Find out how you can be a part of the K9Assistance team and help us to transform lives.
We currently have 2 job openings:
Community Partnership & Communications Executive
Fundraising Executive