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Gypsy - Rescue Hearing Dog of the Year

RESCUE DOG WINS NATIONAL AWARD

A six-year-old mongrel that was selected from the RSPCA in Cardiff when she was three months old has been named Rescue Hearing Dog of the Year by national charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the organisation that trained her.  Gypsy, who lives with her profoundly deaf owner Janet Durbidge in Milton Keynes, was presented with the award by TV vet Joe Inglis at the Charity’s recent Summer Fayre held at their headquarters in Buckinghamshire.  This annual award is given in recognition of the fact that dogs that were once unwanted and cruelly treated can overcome their unfortunate start to become much-loved and invaluable assistants to their deaf owners. 

Hearing dogs are trained to alert their owners to everyday household sounds including the doorbell, telephone, cooker timer and alarm clock, touching them with a paw when they hear a sound and leading them to the source of the sound.  With danger sounds such as the smoke alarm and fire bell, the dogs will alert then drop straight to the floor.  The majority of dogs selected by the Charity for training come from rescue centres like Gypsy or are donated by members of the public.

Janet (50) became profoundly deaf after contracting meningitis at six months old.  She is not able to use hearing aids and as she finds speech difficult she communicates with strangers by using pen and paper.  She says: “I live in a silent world, and it can be very lonely indeed.  Before I had Gypsy I was very isolated and depressed because I was stuck at home most of the time, and if I went out people didn’t talk to me, or if they did I didn’t hear them.  From the minute Gypsy came to me I immediately noticed how she was beginning to change my life.  People started to take notice of me, and I realised it was because of Gypsy and her hearing dog coat which made them aware I had a hearing loss.”

Gypsy has made a difference to Janet’s life in many ways.  She alerts her to sounds in the home, but also to wildlife in the garden, and recently she also alerted her to danger.  Janet takes up the story: “I was ironing while my stepson was cooking downstairs.  Gypsy came and touched me then lay down to indicate danger.  I assumed it was something burning in the kitchen so just carried on ironing, but Gypsy kept on alerting me and suddenly I realised that it was the iron actually burning.  Only a few seconds later it would have caught fire, so Gypsy had told me about a potential hazardous situation.”

In addition to presenting the award, Joe Inglis actually judged this category.  He explains why he chose Gypsy as the winner: “Gypsy has shown all the skills and qualities that make hearing dogs so special.  Not only has her company and day-to-day assistance transformed Janet’s life completely, from one of isolation and depression, she also demonstrated how her wonderful training can save lives.  Gypsy is a fantastic example of all that is good about hearing dogs – and the fact that she came from a rescue background makes her story all the more remarkable.”

Janet has gained so much confidence from having Gypsy around that she has set up a new fundraising branch for Hearing Dogs, and she attends events and talks and now enjoys meeting lots of new people.  She says: “During the Charity’s 25th anniversary year our branch had the privilege of meeting HM The Queen, and Gypsy even received a royal pat on the head.  Taking part in a royal visit was a great achievement for me, and would never have happened to me had it not been for Gypsy.  I look forward to meeting more people with Gypsy at my side.  She has completely transformed my life.”