Defence Community dogs is an independent program that provides, at no cost, highly trained Assistance Dogs to both serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members who need physical and emotional support for mood, depressive and anxiety disorders; including Post-traumatic Stress Discorder (PTSD).

In addition to providing loyal companionship, Defence Community Dogs are trained in specific behavours that assist in reducing PTSD anxiety incluing; signalling and interrupting preliminary signs of stessful body language; preventing the anxiety from escalating, placing themselves as a phyical block between the Veteran and unsttling situations or peple, waking their Veteran from night terrors and turning on a small portable light, and resting their head on the Veteran's leg during time os stress or anziety and looking to their eyes.

It takes more than 250 hours of intial training and costs around $30,000 over the life of the god to train, place and support each Assistance Dog and Vteran during their time within the program.