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Home > Bureau of Rehabilitation Services > Division for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing> Resource Guide > Hearing Ear Dogs

Resource Guide: HEARING EAR DOGS

Last Updated; July 2, 2009

A Hearing Ear Dog compensates for the missing sense of hearing much as a seeing eye dog does for blind people.  The dog is trained to recognize and alert his/her owner to vital sounds, such as the alarm clock, doorbell or door knock, telephone, smoke detector, or a crying baby.  The dog also provides a sense of security and independence for the deaf or hard of hearing person.

Hearing Ear Dogs or Hearing Dogs are accepted in Maine with the same rights as Seeing Eye Dogs with access to transportation, stores, restaurants, or any public building.

Canine Companions for Independence

Northeast Regional Center
P.O. Box 205
Farmingdale, NY 11735
1-800-572-BARK (2275) (V)
E-mail: kathy.mandsager@comcast.net
Website: www.cci.org

Dogs for the Deaf, Inc.

10175 Wheeler Road
Central Point, OR 97502
(541) 826-9220 (V/TTY)
(541) 826-6696 (FAX)
E-Mail: info@dogsforthedeaf.org
Website: www.dogsforthedeaf.org

Dogs for the Deaf rescues and professionally trains dogs to assist and enhance the lives of hard of hearing and deaf individuals. These dogs are placed throughout the U.S. free of charge to the recipient.

Great Plains Assistance Dogs

920 Short Street
P.O. Box 513
Jud, ND 58454
(701) 685-2242 (V)
(701) 685-2290 (FAX)
E-mail: info@greatplainsdogs.com
Website: www.alert-dog.com/

National Education for Assistance Dog Services, Inc. (NEADS)

P.O. Box 213
West Boylston, MA 01583
(978) 422-9064 (V/TTY)
(978) 422-3255 (FAX)
E-mail: info@neads.org
Website: www.neads.org

NEADS rescues dogs from shelters, trains them, and places them in homes and classrooms. NEADS provides four specialized canine helpers: hearing dogs for the deaf; service dogs for those who use wheelchairs; specialty dogs for people with multiple disabilities; and dogs for special education and therapeutic classrooms. The individual to receive a dog is assessed, matched with a dog, and attends a two-week training program. The individual pays or fundraises $9,500 and works with the program to raise the remaining sponsorship fee of $6,000. Applications can be filled out on line.