Education Program

Audio Descriptor: Trigger warning, some bright flashing lights and sharp sounds ahead. This is Clydia's story. Every hearing dog is trained to support the specific needs of their deaf handler. Clydia, walking in slow motion as people rush past. She grimaces, removes her hearing devices and continues to walk in silence.

Clydia: (sound of noisy crowded location, continuous high-pitched ringing) When my Meniere’s flares up, I get easily overstimulated, and this sometimes brings bouts of fatigue on. To de-escalate these episodes, I have to completely remove my hearing devices to reduce overstimulation. 

Audio Descriptor: Unaware, she steps into the path of a moving car. Someone pulls her back to safety. Clydia stares blankly in front of her, unable to hear the stranger.

Clydia: And this is when I'm vulnerable (car honks). 

Passerby: Are you ok? Are you ok, ma’am?

Clydia: My name is Clydia, and I hope for a Hearing Dog to assist me. 

Audio Descriptor: A montage of Clydia's childhood photos. 

Clydia: I was quite a happy-go-lucky kid, before I was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at age 4. I'm fortunate to be supported with assistive hearing devices, such as hearing aids. However, things got a little bit more complicated when I started having long bouts of vertigo attacks several times a day. I was later diagnosed with Meniere's Disease, a vestibular disorder that affects my balance system. 

Audio Descriptor: Clydia removes her hearing devices. She steps outdoors and looks around her.

Clydia: As I got better at recognizing my triggers, my time without my hearing devices also increased. Safety became a huge concern because I am no longer able to hear important safety sounds, such as fire alarms and when vehicles drive past too close. 

Audio Descriptor: Seated at a bus stop, Clydia checks her phone. 

Clydia: In search of a solution, I chanced upon K9Assistance website and found that they provide Hearing Dogs. 

Audio Descriptor: An animation about Hearing Dogs. 

Female Narrator: Hearing dogs can help to assist and mitigate the disability of individuals with hearing loss, like Clydia. Hearing dogs can alert their handlers to sounds that require attention, such as a person at the doorbell, a ringing phone, or fire alarms. When a Hearing Dog recognises the sound of a doorbell, it will run to its handler, place a paw on their lap, or use its nose to nudge its handler for attention. Once it’s gotten it’s handler’s attention, the Hearing Dog will then lead its handler to the source of the sound. Hearing Dogs are also trained to differentiate emergency sounds, and lead handlers away from dangerous environments.

When Hearing Dogs hear a smoke or fire alarm, they will run to their handler, place a paw on their lap, or use its nose to nudge its handler for attention, before dropping down on the ground immediately. This indicates that the sound and its source should be avoided. The handler will thus know to leave the danger and relocate to a safe place. Hearing Dogs are also very helpful outside the home, as they are keenly alert, their handler can ascertain a great deal of information about their surroundings by observing the dog’s body language. This alerts the handler to the approach of persons or vehicles which may be a hazard.

Beyond active alert, Hearing Dogs can give their handlers peace of mind, especially during bedtime when hearing devices are typically removed. Hearing Dogs can keep a watchful ear out for their handlers and wake them up to any sounds that require attention. This allows the handler to have a good night’s rest with a better sense of security and safety. All types of bona fide Assistance Dogs, including Hearing Dogs are extremely well-behaved, and undergo a yearly Public Access Test. Their training is very extensive and can take up to two years. 

Audio Descriptor: Clydia smiles at the camera.

Clydia: Having a Hearing Dog will definitely make a difference in my life. Knowing that the Hearing Dog will look out for me in times of need, I am able to have a stronger sense of security and safety. 

Female Narrator: Help Clydia and others like her in the d/Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing community get their own Hearing Dog. 

Audio Descriptor: K9Assistance logo. 

Female Narrator: Assistance Dogs make the impossible, possible!

Audio Descriptor: A woman walks along a busy road using a white cane. She reaches a road crossing and stands alone as people rush past her and cars zoom by. 

Cassandra: Growing up as a blind person in Singapore, things were often challenging for me. Everyday tasks that many take for granted such as walking through a crowded mall, or crossing a busy street can even sometimes be dangerous for me. Even with a white cane, navigating through city life is not easy. Having lived with my disability since I was young, I've had lots of time and experience to build up resilience. I have big dreams inspired by my blindness and I will not let that same darkness stop me. 

Audio Descriptor: The woman sits and pats a golden Labrador Retriever wearing a harness. 

Cassandra: My name is Cassandra and my fight for independence led me to find my beloved companion and Seeing-Eye Dog. 

Audio Descriptor: Montage of Cassandra's photos through the years. 

Cassandra: When I was eight, I was diagnosed with a vision condition called Stargardt’s disease, where I slowly lost my vision over time. As my vision deteriorated, I started bumping into the walls, sometimes walking into people or even tripping downstairs. And I soon had to depend more and more on family and friends to help guide me around so I can go places safely. It took me a long time to come to terms with this. I was quite worried when I used a white cane, on how people would view me or judge me. And even when I did build up the courage to use a white cane, I often had to depend on others like family, friends or passersby to give me directions on where I needed to go. 

Audio Descriptor: Cassandra is seated in an office.

Cassandra: I was determined to find another way to stay independent and reclaim my dignity. That sense of purpose led me to my Seeing-Eye Dog and she really changed things. She allowed me to live life on my own terms. Now I can navigate through my day-to-day task on my own and I can do it with so much more safety. With my Assistance Dog, I can lead life with independence, confidence and dignity.

Audio Descriptor: Cassandra is led by her Seeing-Eye Dog through various situations. Her Seeing-Eye Dog leads her up flights of stairs and safely across a zebra crossing. 

Female Narrator: Seeing-Eye dogs are able to support the blind and vision impaired in various ways. For example, when recognizing steps, Seeing-Eye Dogs stop at the bottom and top of the stairs, giving the disabled handler time to gain their footing. They are also able to find the road crossing, lead the handler to the edge of the curb, stop there and wait for a gap in traffic to cross the road. Most importantly, Seeing Eye Dogs are also trained to perform intelligent disobedience to prioritise the safety of their disabled handler.

If a handler is unaware of a car passing across the road, the Seeing-Eye Dog will not lead their handler forward, even if they are given the command to do so. Instead the dog will cross over to the front of the handler, using their bodies to prevent the handler from moving forward, ensuring both their safety. All bona fide Assistance Dogs including Seeing-Eye Dogs are extremely well-behaved.

The Assistance Dogs that K9Assistance provides are extensively trained for up to two years by internationally accredited organizations. In addition, Assistance Dogs and their disabled handlers undergo a yearly Public Access test to ensure that they continue to have extremely good public behaviour. 

Audio Descriptor: Cassandra is seated in an office.

Cassandra: Having my Seeing-Eye Dog has completely changed my ability to navigate the world around me. It is only with her help that I was able to establish my career, lead life independently and contribute back to society. Assistance Dogs are truly a gift of dignity and I believe that people with different types of disabilities should also have access to them.

Audio Descriptor: As Cassandra sits on a couch, she is joined by members of her K9Assistance team. They are smiling and talking to each other. 

Cassandra: This is the belief that led to a few friends and I setting up K9Assistance.

Andrew: And together with our team, we will welcome Singapore’s first ever Assistance Dogs beyond Seeing-Eye Dogs.

Shalom: Mobility Assistance Dogs

Juliano: Hearing Dogs,

Bryanna: And Autism Assistance Dogs.

Mariah: They can transform the lives of so many other people with different disabilities. 

Cassandra: I hope that you too can share my belief that everyone should lead a dignified life with the help of an Assistance Dog. So visit k9assistance.sg and support us. 

Female Narrator: Assistance Dogs make the impossible, possible!

Audio Descriptor: A bespectacled man is seated in a wheelchair that is connected to a breathing ventilator. He moves around a sunlit garden.

Shalom: As a wheelchair user, I've always been intrigued by how Seeing-Eye Dogs can empower the lives of the blind and visually impaired. However, I didn't know that there are other types of Assistance Dogs that can benefit someone like me with severe mobility impairments. My name is Shalom, and I hope for a Mobility Assistance dog to assist me.

Audio Descriptor: Montage of Shalom’s childhood photos.

Shalom: Soon after birth, I was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive muscle degenerative disease. When I was little, I could still play with my peers. Then when I was six years old, I started losing the ability to walk, and had to use a manual wheelchair. A couple of years later, when the degeneration progressed, I switched to a motorized model. 

Audio Descriptor: Shalom is positioned in front of a wall of his achievements, speaking to the camera. 

Shalom: Due to my mobility issues, health conditions, and psychosocial challenges associated with muscular dystrophy, as well as all my frequent hospital visits, my mother and my migrant support worker, who are my caregivers, can experience prolonged caregiver anxiety and significant physical strain. 

Audio Descriptor: Shalom is at his computer. 

Shalom: Looking for a solution to help alleviate my caregivers’ chronic fatigue and stress, I typed Assistance Dog in the online search engine, and the link to K9Assistance’s website appeared in the first entry. Knowing that K9Assistance will be providing different types of Assistance Dogs, I was overjoyed. I was one of the first individuals to express interest with  K9Assistance for a Mobility Assistance Dog in Singapore. 

Audio Descriptor: Series of animations on the ways that Mobility Assistance Dogs help provide support to their disabled handlers.

Female Narrator: Mobility Assistance Dogs provide help for day-to-day living. These amazing dogs are trained to assist in daily movements and tasks that are physically challenging. This gives their handler an additional level of physical support and social-emotional benefits. As wheelchair users don't always have the strength or mobility to open doors, a Mobility Assistance Dog can help the handler pull open a door with a tug rope, or press the button on an automatic door. Beyond doors, a Mobility Assistance Dog can also open customized cupboards and refrigerators.

Mobility Assistance Dogs are also trained to help the handlers retrieve a ringing phone or dropped items. As disabled individuals have a spectrum of abilities for daily activities, the Mobility Assistance Dog will be trained for their future handler’s specific needs. Outside the home, Mobility Assistance Dogs are trained to press buttons on traffic lights, elevators, and automatic door openers like those found at disabled toilets. Mobility Assistance Dogs and their handlers have a special bond as the relationship is symbiotic.

They depend on one another for day-to-day support and care. When the handler cares for the dog by feeding, grooming, or playing with it, the dog is motivated and happy to play its part in the partnership to support the physically disabled person. All types of bona fide Assistance Dogs, including Mobility Assistance Dogs, are extremely well-behaved in public. Assistance Dogs that K9Assistance provide are international-accredited and extensively trained for up to two years. To uphold their excellent behaviour and assistance skills, Assistance Dogs from K9Assistance will undergo a Yearly Public Access Test. 

Audio Descriptor: Shalom is smiling at the camera.

Shalom: With the help of a Mobility Assistance Dog, it can empower me with mobility to lead an active life, leaving isolation behind and taking an amount of burden away from my caregivers. 

Female Narrator: Help Shalom and others like him in the disabled community get their own Mobility Assistance Dog. Assistance Dogs make the impossible, possible!

Audio Descriptor: A middle-aged woman is playing with two small dogs at a cafe.

Dawn-Joy: I've always loved animals, especially dogs, because they have helped humans for thousands of years, living with us and making our lives better. Hello, I am Dawn-Joy Leong. I am autistic and I had an Autism Assistance Dog. 

Audio Descriptor: Interview shot of Dawn-Joy at another spot in the same cafe. 

Dawn-Joy: As a young child, I struggled with general social norms, which just did not make very logical sense to me. For example, telling social lies is more acceptable than honest truth. I also struggled with hypersensitivity to light, sound, smells, taste and textures, which could make me feel very sick. I only found out I am autistic when I was in my early 40s.

Audio Descriptor: Montage of Dawn-Joy and old photos with the late Lucy-like-a-Charm in various places. 

Dawn-Joy: I did not know very much about other Assistance Dogs until I embarked on my PhD scholarship in Sydney, Australia in 2012. That was when I met Lucy-like-a-Charm. Lucy was rescued from the cruel Greyhound racing industry and became my Autism Assistance Dog, helping me with my sensory anxieties. Lucy would indicate to me whenever she sensed that I was becoming overwhelmed. By giving me warnings, Lucy helped prevent sensory meltdowns so I could focus better on my work and daily tasks. We graduated together in 2016. When I returned to Singapore with Lucy, she was the only Autism Assistance Dog. In fact, there were no other Assistance Dogs in Singapore apart from Seeing-Eye Dogs for the blind. I wanted people with other disabilities to know the wonderful benefits of Assistance Dogs.

Audio Descriptor: Dawn-Joy is looking at the K9Assistance website on her tablet. 

Dawn-Joy: So together with a few like-minded friends, I co-founded K9Assistance, a charity that promotes social acceptance and Assistance Dogs for persons with various disabilities.

Audio Descriptor: Animation sequence of the ways that an Autism Assistance Dog supports their handler. 

Female Narrator: Autism Assistance Dogs can recognise and provide warnings for early signs of sensory overload, thus preventing meltdowns.

Dawn-Joy: Once, at an important meeting, I was trying so hard to focus on the discussion that I was unaware of my increasing heart rate, blurring vision and throbbing headache because the lights in the room were too bright. Lucy got up from her mat beside me, nudged me and tugged at her leash. I then realised - the bright lights were making me feel unwell, and I requested for them to be dimmed and we could continue the meeting without further incident. 

Female Narrator: Autistic people experience a great deal of anxiety Autism Assistance Dogs are trained to give Deep Pressure Therapy, which is sometimes called grounding, by resting their head, paws, or body on the handler to help calm them. 

Dawn-Joy: Another time, Lucy and I were at a supermarket trying to buy some fruits I suddenly became overwhelmed by the noisy crowd and felt dizzy and sick. I quickly sat down on the floor and Lucy put her body over my legs to stabilise and calm me, thus preventing a full severe meltdown. 

Female Narrator: Autistic people thrive on regular routines. An Assistance Dog helps to establish daily routines of mutual caring.

Dawn-Joy: Lucy helped me establish a routine of caring for each other. She woke me up at the same time every morning, we would go out for a morning walk, then eat breakfast together. I would wipe her and brush her teeth and then shower myself and get us both ready for the day's work. I learned to care for myself while also caring for Lucy. When Lucy is happy and healthy, she can perform her tasks better to help me. It is a meaningful and practical partnership.

Female Narrator: All types of Bona Fide Assistance Dogs, including Autism Assistance Dogs, are extremely well-behaved in public. Assistance Dogs that K9Assistance provide are international accredited and extensively trained. To uphold their excellent behaviour and assistance skills, Assistance Dogs from K9Assistance will undergo a Yearly Public Access Test.

Audio Descriptor: Interview shot of Dawn-Joy in the same café. 

Dawn-Joy: Lucy Like-a-Charm helped me live my best life in a way that no human could do. 

Audio Descriptor: Dawn is smiling, and stroking a little brown poodle.

Dawn-Joy: She is now no longer with me, but her gift of love, dignity, and empowerment is everlasting. In her honour and memory, I want to help other Autistic people discover the life-changing love of Autism Assistance Dogs. 

Female Narrator: Help Dawn-Joy and others like her in the disabled community have their own Assistance Dog. Assistance Dogs make the impossible, possible!

Primary School Girl: Hmm. Kent, I have a classmate. His brother is autistic and loves animals. I think he might benefit from having an Assistance Dog. I wonder where I can find out more about Assistance Dogs. 

Dr Kent Soon: Okay, let me show you K9Assistance.

Cassandra Chiu: I've benefited so much from the use of my Assistance Dog. I've gained confidence, independence and dignity. I hope that people with different types of disabilities besides those of us who are blind can also benefit from Assistance Dogs. These dogs also enable independence, empowerment, social interaction and integration. 

Primary School Girl: I wonder what others have to say about Assistance Dogs. Come, let's go. What do you think about persons with disabilities using Assistance Dogs?

Man: It’s a no-brainer and a rudimentary right of disabled people to lead an independent life.

Primary School Girl: Is the dog disturbing you?

Old woman: (In Mandarin) The dog is very obedient, able to help persons with disabilities. 

Primary School Girl: Does it inconvenience you to have Assistance Dogs in your establishment?

Man: Having an Assistance Dog in our restaurant is no trouble at all.

Primary School Girl: What do you think about Assistance Dogs helping the disabled?

Young Girl in School Uniform: Mummy and teacher say we must be kind. 

Primary School Girl: What are your thoughts when seeing an Assistance Dog helping the disabled in the public?

Woman in Hijab: I would like to think that our Singapore is a compassionate society.

Primary School Girl: What do you think about Assistance Dogs. 

Old man: (In Mandarin) The dog has never barked, and I’ve never seen it disturbing anyone, you know? It has never shown any aggression, nothing at all. It is very behaved. 

Cassandra Chiu: 9 out of 10 respondents in our recent public perception survey indicated that they are supportive towards the use of Assistance Dogs, and 75% of them specified their willingness to share public places, transport, and food establishments.

Navin Nair: Seeing-Eye Dogs have benefited the blind for the last 10 years in Singapore. It would be great if Assistance Dogs can also change the lives of those of us who are physically challenged.  

Wesley Loh: Of those of us who are autistic.

Navin Nair: Join us

Cassandra Chiu: in forging a caring and inclusive society

Wesley Loh: for all of us.

Primary School Girl: Hey, isn’t that the same dog from before? It’s really cute and well-behaved, but why is it hiding underneath the table?

Dr Kent Soon: Oh no, she’s not hiding under the table. Assistance Dogs are highly trained not to cause any disturbance to the public. 

Primary School Girl: Maybe I can share my food with the dog.

Dr Kent Soon: No, don’t do that.

Primary School Girl: Why not?

Just try and imagine people bothering you when you're doing your homework. You wouldn't want that to happen, right? Assistance Dogs are trained not to be distracted when they are at work. It’s important not to pat them, call them, or even try to feed them. Do you know that it is not easy to become a qualified Assistance Dog? Assistance Dogs must undergo stringent training to perform specific tasks to help someone with a disability and behave according to a strict set of international recognised standards for upholding excellent behaviour in public places. Not all dogs end up passing the test to become an Assistance Dog. And even after they succeed, they still must go through an annual public access test and health check to maintain their high standards of behaviour in public and environmental hygiene practices, as well as to be able to continue to perform their assistance tasks. So when you see an Assistance Dog, remember, don't try to call out its name, pat, or feed food to it. Let it do its job for its handler.

Dr Kent Soon: So other than that, what have you been doing at home?

Primary School Girl: Uhh, I’ve been playing games and…

Dr Kent Soon: Playing games uh?

Primary School Girl: Hey look!

Dr Kent Soon: Hm?

Primary School Girl: I thought pets aren’t allowed in the shopping mall.

Dr Kent Soon: Oh, that’s because it’s an Assistance Dog.

Primary School Girl: You mean there’s a difference between a pet dog and an Assistance Dog?

Dr Kent Soon: Yes, they are very different. Assistance dogs are not pets, not therapy dogs, or emotional support dogs. They are well-trained working dogs that serve only one disabled handler to alleviate his or her specific disability. To provide support to the needs of persons with disabilities to lead meaningful and independent lives. There are different types of Assistance Dogs to help people with different types of disabilities. Assistance Dogs are selected for their temperament, trainability and in some cases, their size. And they do not compromise environmental hygiene.

Primary School Girl: Wow, that’s amazing. How do I identify an Assistance Dog?

Dr Kent Soon: Assistance Dogs usually wears a harness, vest or jacket, with the name of its organisation.

Primary School Girl: What types of Assistance Dogs are there?

Dr Kent Soon: There are many types of Assistance Dogs. For example, Seeing-Eye Dogs help the vision-impaired navigate around places safely, like the one you are seeing now. Autism Assistance Dogs help mitigate sensory overload and encourage social interactions for autistic persons. Mobility Assistance Dogs perform everyday tasks like opening doors for persons with physical disabilities. Hearing Dogs alert those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to sounds and dangers. Hearing dogs alert those who are deaf or hard of hearing to sounds and dangers. Assistant dogs not only improve the quality of life for their handlers, they also provide non -judgmental companionship and alleviate stress on caregivers. Assistance Dogs not only improve the quality of life for their handlers, they also provide non-judgmental companionship and alleviate stress on caregivers.