Hearing Dogs New Zealand

Established in 1998, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People NZ is a charitable trust operating nationwide providing highly trained dogs (specifically trained to international standards) to deaf and hearing impaired New Zealanders.

Our Hearing Dogs have rights of public access under the Dog Control Act of 1996 and are protected from discrimination under the Human Rights Act 1993.

As an organisation our purpose is to enhance the confidence, independence and wellbeing of deaf and hearing-impaired kiwis through the presence of these special dogs in their life.

How Do They Work?

There is a range of mechanical devices available to the deaf, however a Hearing Dog provides support and loyal companionship that no device can offer. The way these dogs support their ‘person’ is by way of alerting them to sounds like doorbell, timer, text alert, smoke alarm, baby monitor, alarm clock and much more.

Deafness is often considered an invisible disability, so when a recipient is out in the community with their Hearing Dog by their side it opens the door to positive interactions with other members of the wider community sparking awareness and understanding.

Hearing Dogs help their recipient to break down barriers of social isolation, giving people the confidence to participate in and access their community around them.

The overall cost to train a Hearing Dog from puppy to pro is around $30,000, and $7,000 for a Companion Dog.