Woman appeals for awareness of hearing dogs

Helen Ware and her beloved hearing dog Meg.

Helen Ware likes nothing more than a good natter - and being technically deaf doesn’t stop her.

She also likes to be a voice for the deaf and hearing-impaired, as not all deaf people like to speak out, she says.

Helen, with her hearing dog Meg, encountered some confusion when trying to enter an out-of-town restaurant recently. The result was they did not dine, and left.

She wants to educate and raise awareness so that people and their service dogs can easily enjoy their legal rights of access “just like those of a guide dog”.

Helen has spoken at many business and community events to advocate for the work of hearing dogs and to raise awareness of the realities for deaf people.

She has a cochlear implant (which does not restore hearing but enhances sound and noises) and has almost perfect lip-reading accuracy.

Her dog, Meg the cavoodle, is one of five registered hearing dogs in the Bay of Plenty.

A true best friend, Meg has been with Helen for two years. Meg is Helen’s second hearing dog after Abbey, who she had for eight years.

A hearing dog’s job is to alert their owners to sounds in the home they do not hear, such as when someone is at the door, text messages, timers or any other sounds. Helen takes Meg wherever she goes as Meg is a “visible indicator of an invisible disability”.

Hearing dogs are legally allowed into public places with their handler, including food outlets, restaurants, shops, theatres and on public transport - just about everywhere their handler goes. Meg wears a service-dog yellow jacket in public to signal she is a hearing dog for the deaf.

Hearing Dogs New Zealand manager Clare McLaughlin says hearing dogs are legally allowed into public places, and to refuse goes against the Human Rights Act and the Dog Control Act.

“Although this is not common to be turned away, it is awful for the person concerned at the time and we need to remember that these people are disabled.”

Education is the key, she says, although these incidents are not common and most places are welcoming.

About Hearing Dogs NZ

Hearing Dogs New Zealand is a charity with the aim of enhancing the independence of the hearing-impaired and deaf, through specially-trained hearing dogs.

The dogs are trained to internationally-recognised standards.

Hearing dogs can alert their recipient to everyday sounds such as the doorbell, text messages, baby monitors, timers or smoke alarms.

Hearing dog recipients need to have at least a 65 per cent decibel hearing loss (unaided) in one or both ears.

They need to be physically able to look after a hearing dog and continue its training.

Other benefits of having a hearing dog include enhanced self-confidence and wellbeing, companionship, independence, security, reduced stress, social interaction and regular exercise.