Wait list opens for life changing assistance dogs

A charity which trains and matches assistance dogs exclusively for autistic children aged 5–12 who are at risk of flight has opened its annual waiting list process for families seeking a life-changing assistance dog.

This year, Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland (AADI) will invite 25 new families to enter the assessment and matching process.

AADI provides highly trained assistance dogs to autistic children, supporting greater safety, independence and inclusion for children and their families. Demand for the service continues to significantly exceed capacity, with more than 1,000 enquiries received each year.

However, a statement from AADI said: “In 2026, AADI has taken the decision to reduce the number of families progressing through the waiting list process compared with previous years. This approach reflects the organisation’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of dog training, family support and animal welfare, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of its programmes.”

Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland is a fully fundraised charity, receiving no government funding towards the training or placement of its assistance dogs. All services are provided free of charge to families.

David McCarthy, Head of Fundraising and Communications at Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland, said: “Each year, we carefully review our capacity to ensure we can continue to deliver our programmes to the highest possible standard. While we would love to support every family who reaches out to us, it’s essential that we grow responsibly and sustainably. Our focus remains on delivering exceptional outcomes for autistic children, their families and our dogs, and we are incredibly grateful to our supporters whose generosity makes this work possible.”

As part of the application process, families are required to attend an online information session. These sessions provide detailed information on the role of an assistance dog, the training journey, family responsibilities, and what life is like with an assistance dog at home. Each session also includes a live Q&A with members of the AADI team.

Registration for the information sessions opened on the AADI website on Friday. Attendance at one of these sessions is mandatory before families can apply to join the waiting list. Families interested can find all the relevant details at autismassistancedogsireland.ie.

Following completion of the information sessions, eligible applications will be accepted. Where applications exceed the number of available places, a lottery system will be used to ensure fairness and transparency.

Successful families will then progress to phone and home assessments with an AADI instructor, followed by the matching process, which typically takes 18-24 months from application.

The waiting list opens following the completion of the information sessions in February 2026. Eligible applications will be entered into a lottery if the number of applicants exceeds the available places. Successful families will proceed to phone and home assessments with an assistance dog instructor, followed by the matching process, which typically takes 12-18 months from application.