Found by the hound

Unlike an assistance dog, a therapy dog does not have public access rights. Anthea explained,‘‘An assistance dog performs tasks for a person with a disability. Examples of tasks could be picking objects up, turning on lights, placing washing into the washing machine, alerting for a seizure. Therapy dogs are used in a range of facilities including schools, hospitals, aged care and counselling rooms, where they provide affection, comfort and emotional support for people in all kinds of circumstances.’’

The application for an assistance dog is extremely comprehensive and involves matching a dog to a handler, based on
the assistive tasks it needs to perform. ‘‘There is a certification process that needs to be completed. Very few dogs have the suitability to become an assistance dog,’’ Anthea described, adding, ‘‘Unlike assistance dogs, therapy dogs do not require formal accreditation and are not required to perform a service for their handler.’’

The best part of our job is knowing how much our students take away from our programs, ensuring their dogs remain an integral part of their family

Want to get your paws on an opportunity to get involved Get it girls? Anthea let us know, ‘‘We are always looking for new volunteers to join the Found by the Hound therapy dog team. If you have a calm, well-mannered pooch and wish to volunteer, we invite you to contact us to arrange assessment with our trainers. From there you can partake in ongoing training and join us as we visit various facilities across the Gold Coast, and cheer up those in our community with quality chats and pats!’’ You can also contact the team if you’d like to arrange a therapy dog visit.

‘‘Our training programs and therapy dog team both bring so much happiness. The best part of our job is knowing how much our students take away from our programs, ensuring their dogs remain an integral part of their family,’’ added Anthea.

What’s the highlight for Found by the Hound’s pack? Anthea said, ‘‘It’s seeing so many volunteers willing to dedicate their time to give back to the community and seeing how happy our dogs make others.’’

Website credits: qld.gov.au/disability/out-and-about and foundbythehound.com.au