Dogs needed for the deaf community

OKLAHOMA CITY — It seems as if there’s no shortage of stray dogs on our streets. Apparently they aren’t making it into the right hands because an Oklahoma City non-profit organization is asking for help finding abandoned dogs to help people with special needs. “Dog Ears” trains abandoned dogs to be companion dogs for the deaf and hard of hearing. Administrator and trainer TJ Radle said they have a shortage of donated dogs. The training takes several months and “Dog Ears” has a waiting list of 15 recipients waiting for a dog. The companion dogs are able to pick up on several critical noises: a phone ring, the jingle of keys, a cell phone dropping out of your hand, an oven timer and more. Radle checks the pound occasionally and she’s working on partnerships with shelters and rescue organizations in town, but “Dog Ears” has no dogs to train. Donation dogs need to be friendly to other dogs and people of all ages. “Dog Ears” prefers dogs older than 7 months and younger than 2 years. Rabies shots are required for all donation dogs, additional immunizations are appreciated. Because “Dog Ears” is a non-profit organization, the value of your donation is tax deductible. If you’d like to donate a healthy, family friendly dog, or if you’d like more information, go to http://dogearscompanionhearingdogs.com/dogears/