As soon as Valma Strachan saw the photo of Quincey she knew she had found her new companion.
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“That’s the one,” she said. “She just needs me”.
The photo of Quincey, a trained hearing assistance dog, arrived after 12 months of Mrs Strachan sitting on a waiting list with Australian Lions Hearing Dogs.
Now Quincey, a rescued Lhasa Apso cross, is now a much-loved member of the family.
Mrs Strachan has had hereditary deafness for most of her life, and struggles to hear the different noises around home.
Quincey is trained to alert Mrs Strachan to sounds such as people knocking on the door, the phone ringing, or the oven timer going off.
Upon hearing one of her sounds, Quincey will first touch Mrs Strachan and then lead her to the source.
“She does forget to touch me sometimes when someone comes to the door, she gets excited,” Mrs Strachan said.
“Quincey is a working dog first, then a companion, and then play.
“As soon as her coat is on she knows she is at work.”
Hearing assistance dogs spend eight months training before being placed with a family.
They then have a further three months of regular training before receiving their accreditation.
Quincey received her full accreditation in September.
Australian Lions Hearing Dogs district chairman Rob Cameron said there were four hearing assistance dogs in Warrnambool.
“It costs about $30,000 for each dog to be trained,” Mr Cameron said.
Lions Club supports the program through donations.
“It’s an active, ongoing program to get support and promote the benefits of these dogs,” he said.
Participants receive the dogs at no cost, other than the ongoing care after they are placed.
“If people are looking for assistance dogs, or would like to support the program, then they can visit the website,” Mr Cameron said.