Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland (AADI)

National Irish charity providing fully trained assistance dogs, completely free of charge, to families of young autistic children at risk of running

Who It’s For: Children aged 5–12 at the time of application who have a diagnosis of autism and are considered a significant flight risk (“bolting”), and their families, across Ireland.

What They Offer: AADI is a national charity, founded in 2010 and accredited by Assistance Dogs International, that trains and places specially bred assistance dogs with families of autistic children. The dogs are trained from 8 weeks old, taking up to two years to reach the required standard, and are attached via a belt to the child to help keep them safe from running into danger — whether that’s a road, a crowd, or an unfamiliar open space. Families report that having an assistance dog reduces anxiety and stress for both the child and the wider family, and makes everyday outings — something many families had stopped being able to do together — possible again.

Support Includes:

• A fully trained autism assistance dog, placed with the family entirely free of charge
• Mandatory information sessions as part of the application process, helping families understand what having an assistance dog involves
• A matching and assessment process to find the right dog for each child and family
• Hands-on training and support to help the family and child build a working partnership with their dog
• Ongoing aftercare once the dog is placed

Referral / Access: AADI opens its waiting list once a year (typically around February), with families first signing up to the mailing list via the AADI website to be notified. Because demand significantly exceeds capacity — over 1,000 enquiries a year against around 25–45 new places — eligible applicants who attend the mandatory information session are entered into a lottery to join the waiting list. To be eligible, the child must be aged 5–12 at the time of application, have a diagnosis of autism, be considered a significant flight risk, and there must be someone able to be at home with the dog (it cannot be left alone for long periods). The service is entirely free — AADI is fully funded through public donations and fundraising and receives no government funding, and there is no charge to families for the dog itself.

Why This Matters: For a family living with the constant fear that their child might run into a road, a body of water, or away in a crowd, the world can shrink very quickly — outings become risky, and everyday life can feel impossible to manage safely. An assistance dog won’t fix everything, but for many families it’s given them back the ability to simply leave the house together, with one less thing to fear. And because it’s provided completely free, cost is one less barrier for families already carrying so much.