New Puppy Sponsorship scheme launch

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is choosing Crufts 2011 to launch its new Puppy Sponsorship hearing dog training scheme, supported by TV presenter Ben Fogle, as the Charity unveils plans to meet the ever-increasing demand for more hearing dogs from people with hearing loss all over the UK.

As demand continues to grow, the Charity is focussing attention on increasing the number and quality of puppies, as well refining the types of breeds, introduced into its training programme year on year. This means that each year more puppies and young dogs than in previous years will complete their initial puppy socialisation and advanced soundwork training, and be successfully matched to a deaf person – helping the Charity to reduce waiting times for new applicants and existing recipients requiring a replacement dog.

The Charity’s new regular giving Puppy Sponsorship scheme will help to secure essential and predictable on-going funding for the increase of hearing dogs being trained and placed with recipients each year. Around 200 puppies a year will be introduced into the Charity’s training scheme from several sources including Hearing Dogs’ own expanding breeding scheme as well as donations from breeders and members of the public.

Says Ben Fogle: “The breeding, training, placement and life-long care of each hearing dog costs around £45,000. That’s why it’s so important to support the Charity’s new Puppy Sponsorship scheme. From as little as £3 a month you can help train more hearing dog puppies and enable the Charity to meet increasing demand for life-changing hearing dogs for many years to come.”

Sponsors will be able to follow hearing dog puppy Sunny, a Labrador-Retriever cross, and other pups like him on their inspirational journey to become hearing dogs from initial puppy socialisation training (introduction to basic obedience and different types of sights, smells and environments) through to advanced soundwork training at one of the Charity’s Training Centres and finally placement with their deaf recipient.

Puppy Sponsorship is available at £3, £5 or £10 a month through direct debit. Sponsors receive a welcome pack as well as regular updates on the progress of their puppy throughout its journey to become a life-changing hearing dog for a deaf person.

Hearing dogs are provided free of charge to their deaf recipients, and as the Charity does not receive any Government funding, it relies on the support of individuals to fund its life-changing work in providing hearing dogs to alert deaf people to important household sounds and danger signals such as the alarm clock, doorbell and telephone in the home, at work and in public buildings – providing independence, confidence and companionship.

Since its inception in 1982, the Charity has created more than 1,600 life-changing partnerships between deaf people and hearing dogs. There are currently over 750 working partnerships in the UK. The Charity hopes to introduce 200 puppies into its training scheme each year from its own breeding scheme and from donations from breeders and the public, as well as suitable recruits identified in rescue centres. The breeds typically selected for breeding and training are Labradors, Retrievers, Poodles, Spaniels (and crosses thereof) as well as some smaller breeds such as Cavaliers.