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Help Us Say Yes to More Families

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Why an Autism Assistance Dog Changes Everything

For many autistic children and their families, life without an assistance dog can be incredibly challenging.

Everyday activities can feel overwhelming or even impossible. Many families feel:

For many autistic children, the world isn’t just overwhelming — it’s unsafe.

Our family life right now is quite stressful Keelan has no safety awareness, so is known to run onto the road or walk off to find water or stones. Our days out are planned to precision to make sure we can keep him safe. Sometimes, with all his anxiety, he might not even come on days out, which results in most family days becoming divided days. We’re hoping we get to become one family unit again, with lots of opportunities for us to become a part of Keelan and the assistance dog’s day.

Rachel Kearns, mum to Keelan (8) Currently waiting for an autism assistance dog
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Irwin is more than a service dog. He’s Joe’s big brother in a fur coat.

But an autism assistance dog changes everything. These specially trained dogs offer:

Irwin keeps Joe safe. He walks beside him, watches him, steadies him. He helps him cross roads, navigate crowds, and find peace when emotions rise. Irwin is more than a service dog. He’s Joe’s big brother in a fur coat.
Deirdre Jordan, Joe’s mom

Deirdre Jordan, Joe’s mom
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53%

Demand has soared in just two years.

€25K

That’s what it takes to prepare
a dog for 10 years of life-changing work.

€0

Government
funding received

Zero

That’s how much
families pay. Always.

From Hope to Reality: The Demand Funnel in 2025

We want to help every family who reaches out, but the numbers tell a different story:

StepNumber of Families
Initial Interest+1,000
Webinar Attendance370
Full Applications150
Families waiting to receive an assistance dog in 202645

Demand is growing, but we can only say yes to 1 in 3 families.
You can help more families get the support they need.

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Celebrating 15 Years of Impact

In 2010, Nuala Geraghty, founder and CEO, started Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland with a vision: to help autistic children through the power of a dog. The calls for help came quickly, and they haven’t stopped since.
15 years of AADI

A New Life With an Autism Assistance Dog

Joseph and Autumn

Autumn has become a life-changing force for Joseph, offering both safety and comfort when they’re out and about

Full Story

Daniel and Piper

They always had to divide the family. Then Piper came, and it was a complete and utter game changer. “We just go wherever we want. These Assistance Dogs are superheroes.”

Full Story

Noah and Alfie

“The anxiety, hypervigilance, and stress were overwhelming for all of us, and we knew we desperately needed help. From the moment he arrived, Alfie fit right in. He formed an incredible bond with Noah, his siblings, and our whole family.”

Full Story

Jack and Wednesday

Before, Jack couldn’t cope with the idea of medical tests — he didn’t understand what was happening and would often have emotional outbursts. But Wednesday grounds him. She helps him process emotions and brings his anxiety right down.

Full Story

Charlotte and Koda

John Breen, father to Charlotte, speaks with gratitude about the incredible changes that Koda, their Autism Assistance Dog, has brought to their family’s life. Since Koda’s arrival, Charlotte has achieved milestones they once thought impossible.

Full Story

Senan and Quest

Suddenly, with Quest anchoring him, family outings became possible. Within just two weeks, we managed a weekend away to Aillwee Caves — something we would have considered impossible before.

Full Story
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