On Friday, January 20 at 10:45 am, you can stop by the lobby of Magruder and meet hearing dog, Cherelle and her owner, Karen Brockett. Cherelle was rescued from a shelter by Oregon-based Dogs for the Deaf and trained to assist Karen by alerting her to household sounds that are necessary for everyday safety and independence — like when the doorbell buzzes or the phone rings.
Dogs for the Deaf professionally trains dogs free of charge for people with a variety of disabilities and challenges including: hearing loss, autism, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, panic/anxiety attacks, depression, stroke, and chronic arthritis. All the dogs in their program are rescued from animal shelters throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California. The cost of training and placing one dog averages $25,000 and they place 30 – 40 per year. There is a five-year waiting list for hearing dogs.
Karen is a spokesperson for Dogs for the Deaf and is happy to share her and Cherelle’s story and answer questions. Cherelle may be familiar to students and staff of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital where she had TPL surgery on her knee.
The Shelter Medicine Club will be serving free hot chocolate in the lobby during Cherelle and Karen’s visit. Donations to Dogs for the Deaf will be matched by the SMC up to $400! For more information about Dogs for the Deaf, visit their website.
