The UK’s first charity to exclusively train and provide Autism Assistance dogs has been launched by the Mum of an autistic boy after she had no choice but to train his first dog herself.

Dogs for Autism is a nationwide charity formed to benefit people living with autism all over the UK. Founder Hilary Armour knows the life changing effects a dog can have for the whole family but also just how hard it is for all but a lucky few to source a fully trained assistance dog from the recognised and reputable assistance dog charities in the UK. She says:

“The dogs trained by ADUK member charities are incredible and do a wonderful job for the young people they support. There just isn’t enough capacity to meet demand, and because these charities train other types of dogs too they can only train a relatively small number of specialist autism dogs per year. It was only when we hit the streets with the jacket and harness that I began to realise that it wasn’t just me who had struggled to get a dog. We are stopped constantly and asked how on earth we had managed to get a dog”

With her background as a dog trainer and specialist Autism teacher Hilary realised that this was an area where she and her son could make a real difference and help people living with autism over the country by training more dogs for more people!

The charity already has many generous friends including Oscar Pet foods who are helping them to feed a growing number of hungry mouths around the UK, and its success in the future relies solely on charitable donations.

But how a dog can help an autistic person? Other than companionship, which can be a major problem for many autistic people, they are trained to:

• administer deep pressure therapy,

• alert family members to the onset of a changing mood state,

• keep people safe who wander or ‘bolt’

• help to de-escalate anxieties and calm difficult behaviours.

Dogs for Autism will exclusively work with families affected by autism in a bid to increase numbers of trained dogs across the UK. Families are trained at home and in their familiar local community, and anyone of any age in the UK can apply at www.dogsforautism.org.uk

Lucy is helped to access her life at Manchester University by Peanut one of the charity’s first trained dogs. Lucy’s Mum Julia says:

“Peanut has changed our lives in so many ways, some anticipated but many more unexpected. He has given my daughter something to live for, to care for and to go out of the hose for. Meeting his needs meets her needs. He is so much more than a pet. He is a life enhancer, a well-being booster, a true autism hero...”