Hearing Dogs for Deaf People Anmeldelser 8

I ordered wristbands for swimming so if people talk to me I can show them I can't hear. The post was very slow and it was unclear if it had been sent in emails. I emailed Michelke who replied promptly asking me to wait another day before they would send a replacement. I went away for a few days and the bands had been delivered when i returned. I received an email a few dsys later from her asking if i needed replacements? I was able to reassure her thet had and was impressed by her following things up.

A relative who is very deaf {despite hearing aids} wanted a lanyard from this charity.
We paid £10 inc first class post, {19th June} today is 9th July and nothing has arrived.
No one answers phone, either.

Regarding training an assistance dog, I'd advise getting a sweet natured, biddable, calm, healthy confident puppy {often the parent has excelled in this area} and training him or her yourself to do the tasks you need.

Edited to say after phone message and Email, they sent out another which arrived safely. {11th July 2025}

During my time volunteering for HD I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I helped to care for a puppy and learnt lots about dogs and their behaviour. Also made a couple of great friends. Would recommend!

Well, here’s an update

The interim director of people investigated my complaint by reading emails, never spoke to me once or asked for a copy of the tape proving my points and found that there had been misunderstandings on both sides.
The breach of confidentiality by the CEO was ignored and obviously not investigated but in all honesty that’s not a shock, what was the likelihood of the CEO being investigated in an open and ethical manner and should she be investigated at all by an underling from her own organisation?
The parroting of the CEO’s favourite phrase “you misunderstood” was right through the 2-page synopsis and there wasn’t even any learning outcomes identified for the organisation. Apparently everything is great and there’s nothing to see here and I was basically asked to leave the charity.
Fast forward a month and there has been a third catastrophically bad dog move in this area by the same spineless manager who was still in the process of delivering moving on training and STILL did everything wrong.
Now numerous volunteers in this area are trying to contact management, the head of volunteering and the CEO and have all been ignored for months. They are refusing to engage with a whole hub!
Think very carefully about joining this organisation or giving it any money, the management are appalling and any organisation investigating themselves is a recipe for disaster and abuse. Charities should be utterly transparent.
The CEO takes home over £100,000 the head of volunteering a substantial amount too and the interim head of personnel must be on a nice wage. That’s where your fundraising and donations go first.
Volunteers do it for the love of dogs and they want to help and Hearing Dogs treats them, certainly in this area, with utter distain.

well where do I start

After a first catastrophic move for a dog in this area, no warning and a 4pm Teams call the volunteer realised that she should have had moving on training. She managed a face to face with the managers who eventually promised the training and stated that lessons had been learnt and this wouldn't be repeated. And the people involved in this car crash move given extra training to try and facilitate this not happening again.

3 months later in the same area I came back off holiday to be told that the dog I had (wilma6881) was moving to see if she had anxiety in another home as they believed that her behaviour could have been environmental even though no one has visited my home to establish if that if the case.. I've previously had two DTI's who have visited my home and neither have raised any environmental concerns and all feedback about her care has been excellent and that we have been doing a great job. Wilma has separation anxiety and exhibited this whilst on holiday cover with another volunteer. I was however told that a Vets appointment had been made in York 100 miles away the following week and I was to drive her there and hand her over in the carpark. Hearing dogs didn't think I would want to take her to the multiple vets appointments she had booked in for the next 2 weeks.

I rang the vets and shockingly there were no appointments except the one was booked so they had lied to me. Then I was told to wait till the Monday at 6pm to see if they could find someone to take her on the Thursday.

So they knew she was going did all this and didn't have someone for her. They also didn't think to give me the moving on training or be human beings about it.

We then spent 9 weeks waiting for a volunteer to take her.

In the meantime I spoke to the CEO who treat that as a formal complaint. I also tried to have a face to face with management and because they don't really care for volunteers welfare I was sandwiched in between 2 puppy classes. one started late and one started early and the people I wanted there had to leave.

I was told I would get weekly updates and Hearing dogs committed to no bad news on a Friday.

Well several Fridays later I got a call from my DTI who had been deliberately kept out of the loop saying there was a volunteer that wanted to meet her the following week.

The DTI was blameless, the manager too spineless to arrange it himself. I again spoke to the CEO and complained and she told me the DTI had misunderstood and there wasn't a volunteer. I had the email and WhatsApp message from spineless where it clearly states that there was and told the CEO that. the DTI spoke to the CEO who wasn't interested in the truth even though she had proof and the DTI being a woman of integrity resigned which the CEO accepted in under an hour.

A later meeting with the CEO and manager saw a number of lies to 7 volunteers who turned out in support and also saw the CEO breach staff confidences, first about an exit interview and then about the managers mental health apparently he was stressed.

All this stress put me in hospital twice, but I'm just a volunteer apparently I don't count.

Wilma has done no training since December 2023
she has done no separation missions since June. i was just told to have a happy pet dog.

Wilma has a low grade heart murmur and valve leak
damaged vertebra
underdeveloped muscles in rear left
anxiety that drives adrenaline and is banned from group walks because she ramps up fast
Wilma is on anti seizure meds
Wilma is on calming supplements
Wilma has separation anxiety

Whilst I have to believe that the "experts" know best the management and charity have just lied and treat a dedicated volunteer like crap, moving a dog is the hardest thing for a volunteer and this is where the charity should be at its best.

The CEO apparently deals with formal complaints now, so I have lost any meaningful right of appeal and as she is the decision maker as a volunteer I have no power.

They lost a fantastic beloved DTI

I filed another formal complaint but wont hear back on that till the 18th oct and Wilma is moving on the 16th - I'm guessing that's the CEO again. my personal opinion is its spite and I can only hope that there is a full time volunteer ready for Wilma as multiple moves will damage her.

whoever gets the privilege of having this dog will be getting a fantastic dog who is much loved and will be much missed.

This charity is beyond dreadful to volunteers. now in fairness I suspect this case is unusual and may well be to do with the remoteness from The Grange and a really incompetent manager who when as new volunteers we were changing DTI's and wanted to stay with our original said he would ask but Hearing Dogs would probably just take the dogs or we could move house.

I do worry that Wilma will be moved repeatedly by a charity that has moved a 20 week old dog 7 times in this area.

I received an email from Katherine the hearing dog for the deaf saying I lost my appeal to get my dog back. I am extremely angry. Sasha brought me a lot of confidence and happiness but hearing dog trainers took all that away from me.

They took my hearing dog for the deaf Sasha away with out any explanations when I had a big life threatening operation in January this year I had been in a lot of pain for two years due to gallbladder and liver infection I was very brave taking Sasha for walks around 4 miles a day but she gave me positive and confident during the difficult time. they kindly offered to look after her for two weeks then two months later They never brought her back To my shock they said I didn’t get her grooming although I explained I tried in sept Oct but it was full booked till Dec. She had a grooming. She gained weight but I put her on diet and she was losing weight. To my shock the woman Amy who supposed to help me she doesn’t sign BSL and told me lies or excuses I said I want to d put her to dog kennel while I was in hospital she said bad idea and doesn’t good for Sasha . I trusted her. I TRUSTED HER then I asked when is Sasha coming back. She told me she needs to see how I am first but it was all lies. She planned this along . She didn’t tell me till three peoples came to my flat and questioned me. I Felt they accused me of abusing my own dog. I recommend to any one who was born deaf who apply for a dog DONT GO THERe They have no deaf awareness. The lady names amy and Cathryn. The bsl interpreter didn’t understand me because they asked me to repeat and repeat what I said.
They lied to me and tricked me into taking my beloved dog.
Amy had to bring her bsl interpreter because she cannot sign. I can’t FaceTime her knowing she can’t sign. I had to wait till she booked her own turn FaceTime.

I lost all trust in hearing people now. I am deaf from birth with no speech. Sasha is my greatest love of my life and they took her away all because I am unexperienced dog owner and I love her so much. It is like socials service taking a child from their parents with no explanations.

I did appeal but they took their words I am very very angry

To deaf people with bsl I don’t recommend you to go there. Better to buy one and train it yourself.

Outcome I am very utterly disappointed and outraged at their decision. All because of grooming and gain weight. They do not help deaf people to gain confidence but help me to be depressed get lack of confidence back I have diabetics

Lovely cafe but very slow service. Orders wrong and my crepes were cold. Shame as the last visit was much better. However I will go back.

This place is exceptional. Always lovely friendly staff, delicious food, so accommodating for family, little ones and dogs. Their breakfast is really good.