Valerie Gleeson

Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland

Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland was set up in 2010 as a response to the need for a primary service training Autism Assistance Dogs to help the children with autism cope with invisible symptoms such as an inability to process danger, chronic anxiety and sensory overload, fear of lights, sounds, shops, streets. The list goes on. The impact on the child and their family can be debilitating. We are the FIRST Autism Assistance Dog program in Ireland ACCREDITED with ASSISTANCE DOGS INTERNATIONAL. The reason our success in accreditation is vital is that these dogs must reach a standard that will change the world for a child and their family. Their long term success is our priority. Our accreditation ensures this. It costs €22,000 and 2 years to train each dog to international standards necessary to ensure best outcomes for the child with autism and their family. This isn't respite, an hour a week of intervention or a week away in Disney World. This is a life line to a new and better world.