Sarah Bond from Sheffield with her Cocker Spaniel Hearing Dog Albert
Pets At Home Foundation Raises Over £1 Million For Hearing Dogs For Deaf People Charity
1 year ago 
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Pets at Home Foundation is proud to announce it has raised an incredible £1.2 million for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People over the last two years. This year alone the Pets at Home Foundation has raised more than £650,000, beating last year’s fundraiser which raised an astonishing £629,335. It is the biggest donation the charity has received from a corporate partner in its 40-year history.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a charity dedicated to training dogs to alert deaf people to important and lifesaving sounds they would otherwise miss. Deafness can also be a very isolating disability, so hearing dog provide love, companionship, and emotional support. The charity has matched thousands of life-changing hearing dogs with deaf people since 1982.
William Hewish, Chief Data and Information Officer of Pets at Home and the newly appointed Chair of the Pets at Home Foundation, said: “We are so proud to be able to raise even more funds and awareness for Hearings Dogs for Deaf People. The work they do is incredible, and it’s an honour to be able to help them in the life-changing support they provide. I want to thank all our amazing customers and colleagues who have worked hard to make this donation possible. Creating a better world for pets and the people who love them is a mission close to our hearts at Pets at Home, and this partnership highlights our on-going commitment to that.”
Steve Heyes, Director of Fundraising and Communications for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, said: “We are hugely grateful to Pets at Home for their ongoing support that makes it possible for us to train more hearing dogs that genuinely change people’s lives. The generosity of both colleagues and customers never ceases to amaze us and this donation will allow us to continue the work we have been doing for over 40 years.”
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People helps people like 33-year-old Sarah Bond from Sheffield. As someone who was born profoundly deaf, Sarah was often made to feel like she was not important and almost invisible. This however all changed when she was matched with her Cocker Spaniel Hearing Dog Albert.
Sarah comments: “I used to be embarrassed and shy about being deaf, but now I’m proud to take Albert everywhere. He is part of me, like my missing piece of jigsaw that has now completed me. Albert has done so much more than what I expected from him as a hearing dog. He is not just my hearing dog; he is my best friend. I’ve noticed that people are kinder to me now and make me feel involved in society. Albert has made me visible”.
William Hewish takes up the role of Chair of the Pets at Home Foundation this August. He brings to the role a wealth of experience and a passion for continuing the great work of the Foundation. William alongside Head of Charity and Community, Amy Angus and Fundraising Manager, Amy Wilson from the Pets at Home Foundation presented the cheque for £650,197 to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People at their Head Quarters in Princes Risborough.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is just one of the many charities that benefits from the Pets at Home Foundation. According to the most recent Pets at Home Foundation Impact Report, in 2023 the Foundation donated over £4 million to pets and the people who love them, marking a record-breaking year in terms of financial donations for the charity.
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