Hearing Dog of the Month
July - 2008
Name: Sparrow
Breed: Mongrel
Little mongrel Sparrow was just two months old when Hearing Dogs for Deaf People selected her from the RSPCA centre in Leeds. Just ten months later she had completed her socialising and soundwork training, and was placed with severely deaf May Tribe in August 1997.
May has been deaf since she was a child. Before she had Sparrow, she hated going out on her own. Life changed the minute Sparrow arrived, and May has met so many new people because of her friendly little companion. “Sparrow is loved wherever she goes,” she says. “She is very popular and through her I have made lots of new friends. One lady who met her poured out sympathy because she had misunderstood the situation and thought Sparrow was deaf! ‘Oh you poor thing,’ she said, and proceeded to ask about her treatment and whether she had to have drops in her ears!”
Sparrow alerts May to many household sounds, which has provided her with a great deal of security. In addition to this, Sparrow has also brought May companionship and confidence, as she explains: “Sparrow is wonderful company – very tuned into my situation. Although she loves her daily walks, if I am unwell or the weather is dreadful, she knows and doesn’t worry. She knows by my clothes what is happening: smart clothes mean we are going out and she gets very excited, whereas everyday clothes mean we are staying in.” Sparrow also has some endearing traits. “Sparrow likes playing scent games such as finding an old sock which I hide for her, and I know that if she could talk, she would be the biggest gossip in the area!”
May is not the only person to gain increased confidence from Sparrow’s outgoing and friendly nature. “A number of little children have benefited from Sparrow’s presence, and for many – especially at church and other places I have visited – Sparrow has been the first dog they have associated with. Her loving, gentle nature makes her ideally suited to this task.”
For eleven years Sparrow has been making a difference to May’s life. For a former rescue dog, she has come a long way. May knows that she owes a great deal to her beloved hearing dog. “With Sparrow as my companion, barriers are broken down,” she says. “People talk to us. She has restored my confidence, and she spreads happiness wherever she goes.
“Words cannot express what a blessing she has been and still is. With her, I am somebody rather than a nobody lost in a crowd.”
Previous dogs of the month
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