Chris Packham issues plea to local dog lovers

'NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED - JUST A LOVE OF DOGS!'

- BY LAURA CROSS

TV presenter Chris Packham has made an urgent appeal for dog lovers in the region in particular, those in Hull and Beverley.

He is urging people to consider becoming a volunteer puppy trainer for national charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Chris said that by doing this, you can “radically transform” the life of someone who is deaf or has hearing loss.

A longtime supporter of Hearing Dogs, Chris recently said in a film created for the charity: “I have hearing loss myself, so I've always had an empathy for people whose hearing loss is more significant than my own.

“Hearing dogs are not only brilliant companions, which is invaluable as very often deafness can lead to isolation, they also communicate important and often lifesaving sounds like smoke alarms to their deaf partners.

“To see a hearing dog in action is absolutely inspirational!

“The charity's volunteer puppy trainers perform such a valuable role, but hand on heart, we don't have enough, so I would urge anyone who has time to spare and who would like to radically transform a deaf person’s life, to visit the Volunteering page of the charity’s website at hearingdogs.org.uk.”

Miniature Poodles, Chris's favoured breed, make perfect hearing dogs because they are extremely clever and quick to learn.