Our Charity & 'Dogs for Good' Team Up For Autism

Burns Pet Nutrition Foundation Joined up with Dogs for Good Team up to help children with autism.

Our Charity, BPN Foundation has joined forces with Oxfordshire based assistance dog charity, Dogs for Good who are hosting a 3 day Family Dog Workshop at the Princess Gwenllian Centre in Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire.

Carers of a child with autism may not be aware that the family dog could be trained to help.  Family Dog Workshops are ideal if you:

• already have a pet dog but would like training ideas and support
• are at the early stages of considering getting a dog to help your autistic child
• know that you want to get a dog and are looking for help choosing and handling a dog

Through their work with the Burns by Your Side Reading to Dog Scheme, Burns Pet Nutrition have recognised that there is little opportunity for families in Wales to benefit from some of the life changing opportunities a trained pet dog can bring to a family caring for a child with autism.

The Dogs for Good Family Workshops are the first of their kind in West Wales are open to parents of children aged between 3-16 years, with a clinical diagnosis of autism. Parents are welcome to attend whether they have a pet dog or not.

To learn more about the workshops, the Foundation recently held an introductory information day at The Princess Gwenllian Centre for family members, teachers and carers to understand how the Family Dog Scheme works and how it can benefit the children.

Programme Development Manager, Carol Lincoln said:

‘We are very excited to be collaborating with Dogs for Good a charity that has been pioneering the work of animal assistance dogs for 30 years.  Bringing an innovative training service using a family’s family dog to help children with autism in south west Wales is a first in the area and we can’t wait to get started’

“We hope that anyone that cares for a child with autism will come along to the first three-day workshop so that they can learn more about the programme and make this happen in west Wales, she added.”

Workshop dates: 19th, 20th and 21st March.