Australian Lions Hearing Dogs

What Australian Lions Hearing Dogs does

Lions Assistance Dogs, legally registered as Lions Assistance Dogs and formerly known as Australian Lions Hearing Dogs, is an Australian not-for-profit charitable organization founded in 1980 and headquartered in Verdun, South Australia. The organization trains and places three categories of Assistance Dogs — Hearing Assistance Dogs, Medical Assistance Dogs (anchored by Diabetic Alert Dogs for Type 1 diabetes), and Psychiatric Assistance Dogs — and provides them to recipients Australia-wide at no charge. Its core technology is specialized canine training methodology accumulated over 40+ years, which has produced more than 700 Hearing Dog partnerships to date. The Psychiatric Assistance Dog program operates as an approved provider for the Department of Veterans Affairs, supporting Australian Defence Force veterans diagnosed with PTSD.

The organization's business model is donation- and contract-funded rather than commercial: it collects public donations, bequests and legacy gifts, paid memberships, and proceeds from a small online merchandise shop (plush toys, beanies, pet accessories priced at A$7-A$18), supplemented by contracted service revenue from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Recipients are acquired through Lions Clubs networks, healthcare provider referrals, and direct website inquiry. The organization relies on a staff of 19 employees and the broader Lions Clubs volunteer ecosystem for fundraising, awareness events (such as National Hearing Dog Day and Lap The Map), and recipient referrals.

In 2025 the organization rebranded from Australian Lions Hearing Dogs to Lions Assistance Dogs to reflect its expanded multi-vertical scope and is signaling continued expansion of Medical Assistance Dogs into additional health conditions. Operations are concentrated in a single Australian headquarters and deploy services nationally without disclosed international footprint.

Name

Australian Lions Hearing Dogs

Legal name

Lions Assistance Dogs

Website

https://lionshearingdogs.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lions Assistance Dogs (formerly Australian Lions Hearing Dogs) is an Australian not-for-profit founded in 1980 that trains and provides Hearing, Medical, and Psychiatric Assistance Dogs to recipients Australia-wide free of charge, funded by donations, merchandise, and a Department of Veterans Affairs contract.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Assistance Dog Training and Provision Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Assistance dog training
• Hearing assistance dogs
• Diabetic alert dogs
• Psychiatric service dogs
• Disability support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Verdun

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization relies on public donations to fund the provision of Assistance Dogs free of charge to recipients.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling merchandise including plush toys, beanies, and pet accessories. Proceeds support Assistance Dog programs.
3. Membership Program: Organizational membership available through their website for supporters wanting to be more involved.
4. Bequests and Legacy Giving: Leave a Lasting Legacy program allowing supporters to include Lions Assistance Dogs in their estate planning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Australian Lions Hearing Dogs (trading as Lions Assistance Dogs) is a not-for-profit charitable organisation that trains and provides Assistance Dogs to Australians in need, free of charge. Core programs include Hearing Assistance Dogs for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, Medical Assistance Dogs (including Diabetic Alert Dogs for people with Type 1 diabetes), and Psychiatric Assistance Dogs supporting Veterans with PTSD through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The organisation also sells branded merchandise via an online shop to fund its programs.

Product overview

Lions Assistance Dogs is a not-for-profit organisation that provides life-changing Assistance Dogs to Australians in need, free of charge. The organisation operates three core Assistance Dog programs: Hearing Assistance Dogs (established in 1980, with over 700 partnerships created), Medical Assistance Dogs (including Diabetic Alert Dogs provided at no cost), and Psychiatric Assistance Dogs (supporting Veterans with PTSD through the Department of Veterans Affairs). The organisation also operates a merchandise shop selling branded items such as plush toys and apparel to support fundraising for its programs. Services are delivered Australia-wide from their location in Verdun, South Australia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hearing Assistance Dogs Trained assistance dogs provided to people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. The dogs alert recipients to important sounds such as alarms, doorbells, and names being called. Provided free of charge to eligible recipients across Australia.
• Medical Assistance Dogs Trained assistance dogs provided to people with health conditions and chronic illnesses. Currently includes Diabetic Alert Dogs for individuals living with Type 1 diabetes, trained to alert to dangerous blood sugar levels. Provided free of charge.
• Psychiatric Assistance Dogs Provider program for the Department of Veterans Affairs supporting Veterans of the Australian Defence Force diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Provided free of charge.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 successful Hearing Dog partnerships created since program inception in 1980

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Department of Veterans AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLions Assistance Dogs works as a provider for the Department of Veterans Affairs for their Psychiatric Assistance Dog program, specifically developed to support Veterans of the Australian Defence Force diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Lions ClubscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLions Assistance Dogs is supported by Lions Clubs, with dedicated pages on their website for Lions Club engagement and information about the partnership. The organization has strong historical ties to Lions Clubs International.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Assistance Dogs Australia: Australian nonprofit training Multipurposes, Hearing, and PTSD assistance dogs free of charge. Direct peer because it operates the same three-legged program structure (Hearing, Medical/Disability, Psychiatric Veterans) under a similar donation-funded Australian-wide model.
• Canine Partners: UK charity training assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities. Peer because it represents the same disability-assistance-dog service category as Lions Assistance Dogs' Medical Assistance Dogs line, with comparable training intensity, volunteer puppy-raising networks, and free provision.
• Canine Companions for Independence: US nonprofit providing service dogs free of charge to people with disabilities, veterans, and children. Comparable because it operates the largest free-provision assistance dog program in its market, mirroring Lions Assistance Dogs' no-cost recipient model and its Veterans PTSD service line.
• Guide Dogs Australia: National Australian charity training Guide Dogs for people with vision impairment. Closest direct peer: same Australian nonprofit assistance-dog model, similar free-provision ethos, same state-based federation structure and Lions/Carnival-style volunteer fundraising footprint.
• Smart Pups Assistance Dogs: Australian nonprofit training assistance dogs for children with autism and medical conditions including diabetic alert. Peer because it directly competes with Lions Assistance Dogs' Medical Assistance Dog program in Australia, with overlapping diabetic-alert and disability-support offerings.
• Hearing Dogs for Deaf People: UK charity training hearing assistance dogs for deaf and hard-of-hearing recipients, founded 1982. Direct peer because it mirrors Lions Assistance Dogs' original core product (Hearing Assistance Dogs), similar not-for-profit funding model, and comparable recipient outcomes and training methodology.
• Dogs for Good: UK charity training assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities, autism, and dementia. Comparable because it operates an analogous multi-condition Medical/Assistance Dog program under a charitable funding model, with similar recipient-matching and lifetime-support commitments.
• Paws With A Cause: US nonprofit training service, hearing, and seizure-response dogs. Peer because it operates an analogous multi-category Assistance Dog charity (service/hearing/medical) comparable to Lions Assistance Dogs' Hearing + Medical + Psychiatric tripartite program structure.

Regional players

• K9 Connect Australia: Australian provider of therapy dogs to aged care, disability, and community programs. Regional peer because it serves the same Australian human-services ecosystem as Lions Assistance Dogs, but with therapy rather than task-trained assistance dogs, so its value proposition overlaps but is not direct.

Others

• Lions Clubs International: Global service-club federation under which Lions Assistance Dogs operates as a supported program. Included as the ecosystem/parent affiliate rather than a competitor; the relationship provides Lions Assistance Dogs with its volunteer pipeline, fundraising reach, and brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@lionsassistancedogs
• Facebookfacebook.com/lionsassistancedogs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-lions-hearing-dogs
• Instagraminstagram.com/lionsassistancedogs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australian Lions Hearing Dogs