About Hearing Dogs For Deaf People

Vision Statement

To offer greater independence, confidence and security to deaf people by providing dogs trained to alert them to chosen everyday sounds.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a registered charity which selects and trains dogs to respond to specific sounds which hearing people often take for granted, such as the alarm clock, doorbell, baby cry, telephone and smoke alarm.

Instead of barking, the dogs alert the deaf person by touch, using a paw to gain attention and then to identify the sound source.

The practical value is obvious but the therapeutic value should not be underestimated. Among reported benefits, many recipients find their increased confidence and independence encourages them to go out and participate in activities they previously avoided.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a member of Assistance Dogs (UK), and as such, all dogs must meet the very high standards demanded by the association. This assurance has encouraged the Department of Health and Environment to issue special cards, supporting concessionary access into shops, restaurants and public areas.

Most dogs are chosen from rescue centres, giving unwanted dogs useful and happy lives to the benefit of deaf people. Young dogs are also given to the charity by breeders, who donate dogs that are unsuitable for showing, or just feel that they would like to contribute a litter to the charity. At the present time the charity is in desperate need of young dogs as the waiting list is currently 14 months.

The size and breed of dog is usually unimportant, but every dog selected must be between seven weeks and three years old with an excellent temperament and a willingness to please.

Hearing Dogs does not receive any government funding, and as hearing dogs are given free to deaf people, each dog needs to be sponsored.  It costs £2,500 to part-sponsor or £5,000 to exclusively sponsor a hearing dog through its training and to provide aftercare and support throughout its working life.  Hearing dog sponsors are the lifeline of the charity.

Since its inception in 1982, the charity has placed nearly 1,000 hearing dogs.  It now has two centres operating in the UK – one in Buckinghamshire and another in North Yorkshire.