Greet the Team
Defence Community Dogs is operated by a passionate team of staff and volunteers who are responsible for delivering a life changing, life saving program that helps rebuild the lives of Veterans.
Did you know that a Defence Community Dogs will perform a ‘greet’ command -
if comfortable, their Veteran handlers canl give the dog an instructions to meet you.
This is the polite way of being able to pat a DCD dog, whilst it is wearing its DCD jacket.
Dog training team
Our director of dog training is world renowned trainer Steve Austin (find out more), who selflessly dedicates his time to Defence Community Dogs in a volunteering capacity.
Steve has been a leading figure in the professional canine industry for over three decades and his knowledge and experience is second to none in Australia. Steve trains animals for quarantine, search and rescue, police work, and wildlife preservation, even helping dogs to help detect the endangered Bell’s Turtles in Australia and Cheetahs in Africa.
He expertly guides our dog training team and provides invaluable advice to the inmates in the correctional centres where all our dogs are trained. He also has the final decision on when dogs are ready to graduate.
Steve is directly supported by Senior Dog Trainers Teneka Priestly and Alison Abbott, who each bring decades of dog training experience to the program. They work closely with our team of trainers – guiding and mentoring them as they deliver hands-on training to Veterans and in correctional centres.
Operations and Veteran support team
The Managing Director of Defence Community Dogs is Leanne Kyle, who was integral in the development and launch of the Defence Community Dogs program in 2014.
Leanne leads the Defence Community Dogs program and team members who work behind the scenes including Head Office staff, contractors and volunteers who ensure all aspects of our program are running smoothly and effectively including administration, marketing, finance, fundraising, events, HR, IT, Defence liaison, Corrective Services liaison, Veteran support and more.
Our volunteers and fundraisers
We are especially grateful for our large team of very passionate volunteers and fundraisers who dedicate hours of their time every week to supporting the organisation and Veterans.
Thank you.