Hyundai Help for Kids takes the lead with Assistance Dogs Australia.

• Hyundai Help for Kids, Hyundai Australia’s charitable arm, has now raised an incredible $14 million for children’s charities around the country since its inception in 2014.
• One of those cherished charities is Assistance Dogs Australia, with which Hyundai Help for kids has been partnered since 2016, and it has recently pledged to do even more for this vital service.
• Dogs truly are a person’s best friend!

Dogs play a huge role in the lives of millions of Australians - more than 40 per cent of households have one - but for some people they are far more than just beloved pets.

Every year, Assistance Dogs Australia provides a vital service for more than 1400 people faced with physical and neurological disabilities, and more than 80 per cent of its clients report becoming more actively engaged in their community after receiving their Assistance Dog.

It takes more than $60,000, and two years of hard work, to breed, train and place each one of these incredible Assistance Dogs, and they are provided free of charge to their clients. ADA points out that it would not exist without the support of its leading partners like Hyundai Help for Kids.

ADA Assistance Dogs are placed with children and young adults with autism, adults with PTSD or people with physical mobility disabilities. It currently has more than 200 Assistance Dogs placed across Australia and is looking to significantly increase this number to meet increasing demand.

Hyundai Help for Kids has partnered with ADA since March 1, 2016, and has provided more than $400,000 in value towards grants and vehicle assistance, including three sponsored pups: Turbo, Nexo & Ada, as well as support of its Children and families living with Autism program.

As Official Vehicle Partner of Assistance Dogs Australia, Hyundai Help for Kids provide VIP (Very Important Pups) vehicle assistance to support ADA’s operations across NSW, Victoria and Queensland, which can include visits to volunteer puppy educators, taking dogs on their daily field trips or ongoing client visits. 

Hyundai Help for Kids is pleased to announce that it is increasing the help it provides as part of a new three-year term, and from 2025 to 2027 it will triple its vehicle in kind fleet from three Hyundai Starias to nine, to support ADA’s plans to quadruple the size of its organisation.

The CEO of ADA, Tim Taylor, said his organisation was hugely grateful for the pledge of even more assistance from Hyundai Help for Kids in the future.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have Hyundai Help for Kids help us over the last eight years, it’s been a brilliant partnership,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’re going to be able to help so many more kids and young adults in the near future. We are a national charity and we rely on partners like Hyundai to really help us grow and help more people.

“For our young adults in particular, these dogs give them the confidence to step out and be amongst the community, building communication and feeling included.

“The impact that having these Hyundai vehicles makes for our organisation is huge. We rely on having vehicle support to be able to move our dogs around and allow our staff to do the things that are necessary as part of supporting our clients.”

Oskar is just one young man who has benefited from the work of ADA, forming a life-changing bond with his Assistance Dog, Petey. Oskar’s life has been marked by autism and Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that results in a number of physical, mental, and behavioural issues.

According to Oskar’s mum, Birgitte, Petey has become Oskar’s whole world, offering him life-changing support and companionship.

"Petey is Oskar's best friend, a loyal and forgiving presence in Oskar's world,” Birgitte explained. “When Oskar experiences moments of frustration, Petey is right there, ready to offer comfort and solace.”

For his part, Oskar says life with autism can have its challenges, but Petey brings moments of peace and connection.

“Having Petey by my side everywhere I go has made a big difference in my life,” he said.

“Dogs truly are a person's best friend.”

You too can donate to Assistance Dogs Australia here.