The Canine Care Project

Assistance dogs can open doors, pick up dropped items and help with everyday tasks. But their impact on the lives of disabled young people can go much further.

The Canine Care Project explores the experiences of disabled young people who live with an assistance dog and the difference these partnerships can make to their independence, confidence and wellbeing.

Working with assistance dog charity Canine Partners, researchers from the University of Sheffield surveyed and interviewed disabled young people about their relationships with their dogs. The research found that assistance dogs can help people feel safer, less lonely and more confident, while supporting them to take part in social activities, try new things and achieve greater independence.

More than 90% of those surveyed said their dog had helped with feelings of loneliness, while around 9/10 said their assistance dog had increased their confidence.

Co-produced and narrated by disabled young people themselves, this animated film shares the findings of the Canine Care Project and explores how relationships between people and animals can provide practical support, companionship and care.

The research encourages us to think more broadly about what care can look like and the important role assistance dogs can play in helping disabled young people live the lives they choose.