Hightowns Hearing Dog is Life Saver...

How you can help Hearing Dogs for Deaf People change more lives in Merseyside?

Meet Brie – the cute Golden Retriever who is far much more besides.

Millions of people know all about the great work done by Guide Dogs (formerly The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association), and now there is a campaign to raise awareness about the equally-wonderful Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Hearing dog Brie has transformed the life of her owner – 73-year-old retired teacher Mary Molloy, from Hightown.

Mary says: “I have had Brie since April last year. I had previously had German Shepherds, but Brie is my first hearing dog. I went to see an audiologist in Southport hospital and he asked ‘Have you ever thought of asking for a hearing dog? – I’d never heard of them!

“I got in touch with the organisation and saw demonstrations about what they do and they then got in touch with my doctor. It took a while, because there were tests and there was training with the dog to see if I could cope and follow the various signs.”

But when Brie and Mary were finally put together, Mary’s life was transformed instantly.

“She is so intelligent,” says Mary of the highly-trained five-year-old.

Hearing dogs alert deaf people to select household sounds and danger signals in the home, work place and in public buildings, and provide a life-changing level of independence, confidence and companionship.

Mary explains: “She lets me know when the door bell has sounded by going and sitting in the hall. Then she waits there while I go and open the door. And if my gas or smoke alarm goes off, she puts her front paws on me. I then ask ‘What is it?’ and she will lie on the floor, which means there is danger and I have to get out.”

She can even let Mary know when her meals are ready: “I will use my cooker alarm but I can’t hear it. When it sounds she will come to me and I will ask ‘What is it?’ and she will head to the kitchen. She is so good.”

Mary with Brie at her home in Hightown

But Brie provides so much more than confidence and security in the home – she helps her owner live as full a life as possible in the community.

Mary says: “My husband died six years ago and our German Shepherd, who was 14 and a half, died the night before the funeral. I was on my own for the first time in my life. I was very lonely and mainly sat in and did nothing.”

But Brie has changed her life in so many ways.

“We walk on the beach every day, and when you’re with a dog people talk to you,” says Mary, who has been deaf since she was five (when she contracted chicken pox, measles and mumps in the same summer) and relies on her lip-reading – as well as her beloved Brie, who alerts her when pedestrians or cyclists are behind her.

She adds: “I also go swimming, and the staff allow Brie to wait for me in their office – she lies down under a desk and goes to sleep! Being a hearing dog, and so well-behaved, I can also go to places for lunch or afternoon tea and stay in hotels. Her behaviour is above reproach and because she’s never had human food she doesn’t ask for it.

“We’ve been to Cockermouth, to Carlisle races, to Ludlow – we’ve been all over the place. She has changed my life - rather than sitting at home reading I’m out all the time.”

Join The Great British Dog Walk – in Formby

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, a national charity, is holding a fund-raising dog walk on Formby beach this Saturday, April 11, from 11am (adults £10, children £5).

It is the third in a series of 10 dog walks being held throughout the UK, and is open to everybody - you don’t have to own a dog to participate as there will be plenty of other activities there on the day.

Rachel Hassey, the organisation’s community fund-raising manager for the North West, says: “All money raised will go towards the breeding and training of more hearing dogs. We also want to generally raise awareness and invite people to become puppy socialisers.

“We have got just over 800 working partnerships, involving adults/children and hearing dogs, but there are more than 800,000 people who have a severe or profound hearing loss and could potentially benefit from having a hearing dog.”

For more information go to www.greatbritishdogwalk.org

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People – the facts

It was launched in 1982 and has two training centres - one in Buckinghamshire and one in Yorkshire.

Potential hearing dogs - Labradors, English Cocker Spaniels and Miniature Poodles are also used - are placed in family homes with volunteer puppy socialisers from around eight weeks through to around 12-14 months of age, at which time they return to one of the training centres to begin their sound work training with experienced dog training staff.

Towards the end of the four months of sound work training, the dog is matched to a suitable recipient and they then train together for a week at one of the training centres before embarking on their life-changing partnership together.

For more information, go to www.hearingdogs.org.uk

Story Source: Liverpool Echo

Photo Source: Colin Lane, Liverpool Echo