|
Anna Evans is the founder of Dogs On the Go, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit assistance dog organization. It was founded on the principle that people with physical and mental health disabilities deserve to have access to assistance dogs regardless of the socio-economic status. All of the dogs in Dogs On the Go Assistance Dogs are rescues from partnering animal shelters. The initial focus of the organization is on providing "hearing dogs". These dogs provide assistance by alerting deaf or hearing-impaired individuals to sounds that they would otherwise miss. Dogs are typically trained to respond to: alarm clocks, kitchen timers, smoke alarms, name call, door knock/doorbell, telephones (for telecommunication devices for the deaf). Some dogs will independently learn to alert their owners to sounds they were not initially trained on (e.g., tea kettle, the toaster, or washer and dryer buzzers). Hearing dogs can also assist in the workplace, or for people who travel in a hotel, although primary placement tends to be in a home. Like guide dogs for persons with visual impairments, hearing dogs have public access eights under the American Disabilities Act an by state law, Unlike other assistance dogs that require physical strength, hearing dogs tend to be smaller breeds. The main requirement is alertness and high energy level. A typical training cycle for a hearing assistance dog ranges from six to nine months and costs $10,000. Dogs On the Go is a new organization and is projecting to place its first assistance dog this summer. The organization does not receive any government funding, and has no grants at this point, so it is entirely dependent on volunteers and donations. For further info, please call Anna at 815-770-7300 or visit their web page at www.dogsonthego.us. Thanks to Paul Munk for his notes! |
