Funds raised for canine comfort

COMMUNITY groups have raised funds to sponsor a puppy with Young Diggers Victoria, which partners assistance dogs with defence veterans and first responders.

The 8/7th Battalion Association, Newport RSL, Ballarat Scrap Metal Recyclers and MaxiTRANS have raised a combined $5000 for the sponsorship through a series of initiatives.

The donation will pair one assistance dog with a veteran, police officer, firefighter, or paramedic, and MaxiTrans spokesperson and 8/7th reservist Chris Liston said it meant support for an “under the radar” organisation.

“The Young Diggers are so low-to-the-ground and doing this good work. They’re 100 per cent volunteers working on 100 per cent donations,” he said.

“What we’re doing today helps people, in the leadup to Anzac Day, to remember there’s living needs for servicepeople and those that have had uniforms on.

“So, we produced $1100 of seed funding from the company, which then got some more momentum with the other groups in building this as a community initiative.”

Each assistance dog is specially trained to provide mental health and emotional support to veterans and first responders with PTSD.

YDV were given the cheque at the Arch of Victory last Thursday in an effort to raise awareness for the organisation and their efforts.

The group fund is part of MaxiTrans’ community engagement sponsorship program, and Mr Liston said a similar donation made to YDV by the 8/7th Battalion Association several years ago sparked the idea for the joint endeavour.

YDV currently has over 12 dogs ready to be partnered, and director Carole Doyle said the organisation aims to assist people who’ve served their country.

“Our dogs get these people out socialising in the community, they get them active and out of their own heads, and that’s the whole idea of what we’re trying to achieve,” she said.

“These people have either fought for their country or they’ve served it via first response, and this is a way for us to give back and say thank you.”