Hearing dogs and their owners walk for charity

Chris Packham led the walk from Buckler's Hard in the New Forest

Dogs and their owners have taken part in a charity walk in the New Forest to raise awareness of the role hearing dogs can play in the lives of deaf people.

It is one of 13 walks taking place across the UK between March and July as part of The Great British Dog Walk 2024, organised by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Chris Packham led the walk from Buckler's Hard near Beaulieu on Saturday morning.

The naturalist, who has hearing loss himself and wears hearing aids, walked with his poodle Nancy.

'Invisible disability'

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People train dogs to alert deaf people to important and life-saving sounds they would otherwise miss, such smoke alarms, alarm clocks and even a baby's cry.

Laura Robbie, from Hampshire, has been deaf since she was four years old.

Walking with her assistance dog, Griff, she said: "He will tell me that there's a sound and then he will do something different for each of those sounds so that I know what one is going on."

Deb Fullbrook, walking with her dog Elmo, described being deaf as "an invisible disability".

"People don't realise you're deaf," she adde. "What Elmo does, he's a big signpost with his burgundy jacket on, he makes my invisible disability visible."

Ms Fullbrook said her dog Elmo was a "big signpost"

David Robson, the charity's head of communications, said: "It can take up to two years to fully train a hearing dog to alert deaf people to sounds.

"We rely totally on donations and the amazing support of people who fundraise for us."

He said the charity covers all the costs of training a dog, placing a dog, and provides full support "for the rest of the dog's life".

'On the lead'

The New Forest walkers completed a 4.4-mile (7.5km) circular walk and every dog taking part received a free bandana.

Mr Packham, who lives in the New Forest, made a plea for all dog walkers to remain mindful of the area's wildlife.

He said: "48% of our birds in the New Forest are ground nesting and so, at this time of year, it's really important that dogs are under control or, from my perspective very definitely, on the lead."