Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, based in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire is a registered charity that trains dogs to alert deaf people to sounds such as the alarm clock, doorbell, telephone and smoke alarm.  These dogs, wherever possible selected from rescue centres, are trained to alert by touch, using a paw to gain attention and lead their owner back to the sound source.  For sounds such as the smoke and fire alarm the dogs will lay down to indicate danger.

Deaf applicants now have to wait over two years for a hearing dog.  We desperately need to expand in order to meet the needs of those on our waiting list.  One in seven people in the UK have some kind of hearing loss, and of these, 650,000 people are severely or profoundly deaf, and could benefit from a hearing dog.

The practical value is obvious, but the therapeutic value should not be underestimated.  In addition to security, hearing dogs provide increased confidence, security and independence as well as companionship.

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