About Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Activity Trains dogs to assist deaf people by alerting them to important sounds, giving renewed confidence and independence
Website http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 293358
» Choose this Charity as your Preferred Charity
If you select this charity as your preferred charity, it will be automatically selected when you compose new cards.
» Donate to this Charity
You can donate points you have purchased on Benevolus directly to this charity.
Profoundly deaf Lynne Swarbrick says of her hearing dog Luke: 'The day that Luke came into my life, the black cloud that surrounded me changed into beautiful golden light. He's opened up my silent world and given me the strength to carry on. Luke is my best friend, my ears, my guide at night, my hero and my world. He is the wind beneath my wings.'
The idea of training hearing dogs to assist deaf people was first introduced to the UK back in 1982. The first dog 'Favour', a tan and white crossbred dog, was selected from the National Canine Defence League and the idea of training dogs to assist deaf people became a reality.
The Charity aims to improve the lives of deaf people through the training and placement of specially trained dogs. Whenever possible, the dogs are selected from rescue centres, but they are also donated by breeders and members of the public, with the remainder coming from the Charity's own breeding scheme.
Deafness can be a very isolating and lonely disability, a hearing dog can offer a practical alternative to technical equipment - particularly for those deaf people who find such equipment restricting - with the added benefit of giving the recipient increased independence, greater confidence, companionship and a feeling of security. The dogs are trained to respond to many everyday household sounds including the doorbell, telephone, alarm clock, cooker timer and danger sounds such as the smoke alarm, burglar alarm and fire bell in public places.
Hearing dogs are trained to alert deaf recipients by touching with a paw and then leading the person back to the sound source. For sounds such as the smoke alarm and fire alarm, the dogs will lie down to indicate danger.
The dogs themselves vary from the largest, scruffiest mongrel to the smallest pedigree but they are all easily recognisable by their distinctive burgundy jacket and lead slips, which also helps to identify the recipient's otherwise 'invisible' disability.
In applying for a hearing dog, a deaf person is expressing a need. It is the responsibility of the Charity's staff to assess that need and, if appropriate, train a dog to help them. Applicants must be 18 years of age or over, have a severe or profound hearing loss and need some form of assistance to make them aware of sounds such as the alarm clock, doorbell, telephone, baby cry, smoke alarm etc. Most importantly, they must be able to care for a dog properly and genuinely enjoy the close companionship of a dog.
It costs thousands of pounds to fully support a hearing dog and to provide life-long aftercare. Hearing dogs are free to deaf people as each dog is sponsored by a company, organisation, club or individual willing to raise the funds needed.
The Charity has placed 1500 dogs throughout the UK.