This week a group of 13 Girton Grammar students from years 10 and 11 have been training puppies and integrating them into the community with public access training.
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The puppies were from Righteous Pups Australia, a national, not-for-profit charity, training dogs to aid children with Autism Spectrum Disorder at no cost to the family.
Righteous Pups Australia managing director Joanne Baker said the Girton students had been brilliant and all the pups were passing.
"Righteous Pups is all about raising champion dogs and the dogs have been responding really well," she said.
The students have been doing a range of activities with the dogs to help them get used to being out and about in the community.
The activities included visiting a swimming pool centre, Hargreaves Mall and places where families usually took children.
"People with children with autism tend to recoil from society because the child can't cope," Ms Baker said.
"The dogs calm the kids, which liberates the families by getting them back into the community"
The dogs calm the kids, which liberates the families.
- Joanne Baker
The dogs were matched at the start of the week with a student that would suit them best and students say it has helped them realise what it is like to live with autism.
Ms Baker said the charity appreciated all the help it could get, as the dogs required hundreds of volunteer hours over a two-year period.
She said it cost roughly $30,000 to raise each dog.
"We are currently the only national organisation in Australia to train assistance dogs for children with autism and given the proven benefits, it's not surprising we have a waiting list," said Ms Baker.
Both the dogs and students have seemed to mutually benefit from this week, with the students glad they signed up.
"The program is something not recognised enough in the community for the amazing work they do for children living with autism," Girton student Brianna Oliver said.