Cork dog charity receives sponsorship from ESB

Marguerite Kiely

The energy company is powering paws with its latest donation.

A Cork-based charity, My Canine Companion has received sponsorship from the ESB’s offshore wind team. It has pledged €2,000 to the charity which provides accredited service dogs to people with disabilities, predominantly autism.

My Canine Companion provides 60% of Ireland's service/assistance dogs to children with autism.

All the charity’s service dogs are fully trained over a two-year training programme.

The service dogs can provide a transformative level of safety, independence, and companionship to children with autism and does not charge any of its clients for the provision of service dog programmes.

Set up in 2011 by Cliona O’Rourke and Niall Ruddy, My Canine Companion is currently headquartered in Blackpool, Cork. O’Rourke has 20 years’ experience in the service dog industry.

Niall Ruddy of My Canine Companion said: “Corporate funding is extremely important helping us to continue to deliver our services for autistic children and their families.

“My Canine Companion have been innovators since its foundation in 2011, developing new service dog training approaches resulting in significantly higher success rates compared to traditional approaches.”

ESB Offshore Wind Stakeholder Manager Brian Hegarty said: “ESB’s offshore team is proud to sponsor a charity that delivers such an important service to those with disabilities.”