Well we do now. As a family with a young child with autism we have decided after many months of research, talking, meetings, learning and more talking to get an Assistance Dog for our son.
This means many choices were to be made. Like if we where going to pay the $30,000 to pay a 'ready made Assistance Dog' which is bred, trained and then with the organizations help induced to our family & our son.
or
Buy a dog of any age and train it at home with us. With the help of trainers, courses and classes as many or as little as we wanted.
We chose the 2nd , as we wanted a young dog not a dog from a recuse that we could not be sure about its past and any triggers or bad habits it may have which may harm our child or other animals in our home.
So here we are a week away from picking up our English Pointer pup .
As my research has taught me, its a hard long journey but with many rewards.
It costs a lot of money & time to owner train as they call it.
I understand now when people with disability's get so upset or offended when something happens or is said to degrade the importance of an Assistance Dog.
There Assistance dogs, Service dogs, Guide dogs, Hearing /vision dogs ALL are equal in the eyes of Australian Law. Even a dog in train to become any of the above has the same rights.
It is illegal to discriminate against or refuse entry to a person with an Assistance Dog and anyone who does so can be prosecuted. Any entry fee must not be charged to an animal that is an assistance animal.
This is our little boy and wow dose he have a big future ahead of him . k
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