What are Assistance Dogs?
Assistance Dogs are working dogs that are highly trained to help people with disabilities lead meaningful and independent lives. They are not pets, or therapy dogs, or emotional support dogs.
If you are a Person with Disability, you may be eligible to be matched with an Assistance Dog.
Types of Assistance Dogs
Mobility Assistance Dogs
These Assistance Dogs help support people who are physically disabled, which could include stroke survivors, people who use wheelchairs and people who use canes.
Hearing Dogs
Hearing Dogs support people who are d/Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing. They often serve as a strong complement to users of cochlear implants, hearing aids, and other assistive devices.
Seeing-Eye Dogs
Seeing-Eye Dogs support people who are blind or vision-impaired. These individuals may be partially or completely blind.
Autism Assistance Dogs
Autism Assistance Dogs can support Autistic individuals. Autism Assistance Dogs can interrupt stress triggers to allow the Autistic handler to take steps to avoid further escalation. These dogs can provide vital support for Autistics to lead meaningful lives.
Eligibility
To be matched with an Assistance dog, there are several criteria you must meet. Some of these include:
Possessing a Doctor’s note and/or a membership card from the following organisations, but not limited to – SG Enable, Handicapped Welfare Association (HWA), Singapore Association of the Deaf (SADeaf), or Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), as proof of your disability as defined by the Singapore Government.
Being able to commit 3-4 weeks of your time to be trained with an Assistance Dog.
Being able to upkeep the continual training commitments of an Assistance Dog.
Possessing the physical, logistical and financial means of housing, caring and working with a future Assistance Dog.
The Matching Process
All bona fide Assistance Dogs from K9Assistance will be provided at no cost to clients. Steps 1-3 may take roughly 2-6 months.
- 1
Express an interest in wanting to be matched with an Assistance Dog by filling up our form below.
- 2
Our Team will get in touch with you to better understand your needs.
- 3
Where eligible, you will be placed on the expression of interest list.
- 4
We will conduct a home assessment and a personal interview to determine your suitability.
- 5
You will be notified if a suitable Assistance Dog has been identified.
- 6
Commence your training with your Assistance Dog.
- 7
Graduate with your Assistance Dog
- 8
Follow-Up Training where necessary
Success Stories K9Assistance
Around the world, Assistance Dogs have empowered countless lives. We want to bring this Gift of Dignity to Disabled Singaporeans.
Cassandra Chiu
I have benefitted so much from my use of an Assistance Dog. I’ve gained confidence, independence, and dignity. These dogs enable empowerment, social interaction, and integration.
I hope that people with different types of disabilities, besides those of us who are blind, can also benefit from Assistance Dogs.
Dr Dawn-Joy Leong
Lucy-like-a-charm contributes to my well-being in ways that no human person, not even myself, is able to do.
She has a respectable position of worth, all of her own, and this is not just because she has been trained by humans to be my Assistance Dog, but because of our symbiotic relationship of deep mutual respect and connection between dog and an autistic person.