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| Hearing
Dogs for Deaf People
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As you may recall, D for Dog has teamed
with ClickNow to create a Websearch facility that enables you to
search using 4 of the top search engines while also raising money
for charity.
The supported charities are Dogs Trust, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
and The Mayhew Animal Home. As one of our chosen charities, we asked
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People to tell us a little more about the
charity.
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 leading them back to the sound
source. For sounds such as the smoke alarm and fire bell, the dogs
will lie down to indicate danger. |
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Samba demonstrating “touch and tell” |
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 that they
previously avoided.
Most dogs are chosen from rescue centres, giving unwanted dogs useful
and happy lives to the benefit of deaf people. 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. Dog breeders and members of the public
also donate young dogs to the Charity.
The Charity has placed over 1100 hearing dogs around the country
since its inception in 1982 and has two training centres in the
UK. Since the Charity receives no government or Lottery funding,
and relies solely on donations from the general public, each dog
has to be sponsored by a group, company or individual. £5,000
covers the cost of sponsoring a hearing dog’s training and
ongoing aftercare – which can be divided into two parts of
£2,500.
If you would like to donate a dog for training, apply for a hearing
dog, sponsor a dog, volunteer to help or for more information about
the Charity, please telephone 01844 348100, email info@hearingdogs.org.uk
or visit their website at www.hearingdogs.org.uk |
| Charity
Search Engine Facility |
To use the D for
Dog search engine facility and help raise money for this charity,
simply click on the ClickNow logo below and search the web as
normal.
Or type this web address into your browser:
http://www.clicknow.org.uk/DForDog |
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| Don’t forget to bookmark the
page or even make it your homepage so that you remember to use it
every time you search the web. You can also spread the word by using
the ‘Refer a friend’ facility. The more searches made
the more money the charities will receive. |
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