How the charity began

In 1979 Professor Lee Bustad, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University, was a speaker at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association International Symposium. Professor Bustad's paper included reference to the training programmes in various parts of the United States in which dogs were being trained to assist deaf people.

Dr Bruce Fogle, a veterinary surgeon, was present at the symposium and was immediately interested in the Hearing Dog Scheme. Upon his return Lady Wright, of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, was contacted. She told him: "Deafness is the least understood major disability, it is financially speaking the most neglected and that often, rather than empathy, most deaf people can actually meet ridicule because of their sensory loss". As a result there can be a feeling of isolation and loneliness. She was aware of the American "Hearing Ear" schemes, but felt that there was no way that the deaf charities here could finance starting such a scheme in the UK at that stage.

However, during 1981, Bruce Fogle and Lady Wright independently visited training centres in the United States, and eventually a pilot scheme was devised for the UK with financial commitments from PRO-Dogs, an animal charity; Pedigree Petfoods, a pet food manufacturer; the Daily Mail, a national newspaper; "Pebble Mill at One", a television programme; and Mutual of New York, an American insurance company involved in funding the American Hearing Dog Scheme.

A facility was offered at Forest Glade Kennels in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, where the dogs could be housed and trained, and help came from Smith Kline Animal Health Limited who promised free vaccines and medicines. The British Veterinary Association advised its members to treat these dogs as they do guide dogs and to provide twice yearly free examinations.

In February 1982, at Crufts Dog Show in London, the scheme was launched to the national press. Amongst those present was the newly appointed administrator and trainer, Tony Blunt, a former police dog handler. Accompanying Tony was the first dog destined to be a demonstration hearing dog - "Favour", a one-year-old stray that was selected from rescue kennels in Berkshire, and what an excellent choice he proved to be.
On 1 June 1982 the full time work of the UK Hearing Dogs' programme commenced under the auspices of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf. Tony Blunt was joined by placement counsellor, Gillian Lacey. With the help of PJ Reilly and Chris Winship from the American Hearing Ear Scheme, the first four dogs were selected for training, and applicant interviews got underway.

The remainder of the year was spent in arranging publicity and funds for the scheme and training the first four dogs, which proved difficult because a suitable training facility was needed. It was necessary to build a proper training centre, consisting of an eight-room building for offices and furnished accommodation for the training of dogs. This was completed in May 1983 using the shell of a builder's site cabin donated by Higgs and Hill.

How the Charity has progressed

• 1982 Launch at Crufts Dog Show
• 1986 First training centre is purchased at Lewknor, Oxfordshire and Hearing Dogs becomes a registered charity
• 1990 100th hearing dog trained
• 1992 HRH The Princess Royal becomes Patron of the Charity
• 1993 200th hearing dog trained
• 1994 Second training centre is purchased at Cliffe, North Yorkshire
• 1996 400th hearing dog trained
• 1996 Name changed from 'Hearing Dogs for the Deaf' to 'Hearing Dogs for Deaf People'
• 1996 The Grange, a former stud farm, is purchased at Saunderton in Buckinghamshire, and work begins on converting the existing premises to become the Charity’s headquarters and replacement training centre for Lewknor
• 1999 First phase of The Grange opens: Puppy Socialising Department
• 2001 800th hearing dog trained
• 2002 The Grange is officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal, becoming the Charity's new headquarters, and the old training centre at Lewknor closes
• 2003 Tony Blunt MBE, co-founder and director general of Hearing Dogs, retires after 21 years as the Charity's leading light and Lady Wright, also a co-founder of the Charity, sadly passes away
• 2003 The Charity celebrates its 21st birthday with the introduction of the first-ever Hearing Dog Week, with the aim of raising awareness of deafness and the work of Hearing Dogs. As part of the inaugural event, the first Hearing Dog of the Year Awards are presented
• 2003 Hearing Dogs, together with The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, announces the placement of the first-ever dual purpose assistance dog, Roddy - trained as both a hearing and guide dog for a profoundly deaf and visually impaired lady from Cheshire
• 2004 The Charity places its 1000th hearing dog with a deaf person. Ria, a mongrel, was found as a stray puppy in Burford, Oxfordshire, and Hearing Dogs selected her from the Blue Cross rescue centre
• 2004 HRH The Princess Royal visits Hearing Dogs headquarters to meet Ria and Roddy, and to see the work in which the Charity has been involved with regard to training dogs to detect cancer
• 2005 The second dual purpose dog is placed with a deaf and visually impaired lady
• 2005 Hearing Dogs launches its first-ever television advert to raise funds for, and awareness of, the Charity
• 2005 1100th hearing dog, Babs is placed (named after co founder Lady Wright)
• 2006 1200th hearing dog, Chili, is placed with a deaf person

• 2006 A site is purchased in Bielby for new, larger training centre in Yorkshire
• 2007 Hearing Dogs celebrates its 25th birthday at Crufts with a media reception.  Hearing dog Molly wins the BBC / Crufts 'Friends for Life' competition
• 2007 1300th hearing dog, Tiffin is placed with a deaf person
• 2007 Bielby - building work commenced on new northern training centre
• 2007 1400th hearing dog, Badger is placed with a deaf person
• 2008 Pilot project launched to investigate the benefits of placing hearing dogs with deaf children