Meet the woman finding new homes for deaf dogs
Sonja Coombes kept seeing deaf dogs rejected by people and started her own rescue charity for those who she believes deserve a second chance.
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“Just because they are missing something, doesn’t mean they’re less worthy of love.”
That’s the sentiment that Sonja Coombes wants people to know about adopting a deaf dog.
Coombes founded rescue organisation Hear No Evil Australian Deaf Dog Rescue in 2014 to help give deaf dogs the second chance they so deserve.
“I was working with another rescue groups fostering deaf dogs but found that they just kept getting overlooked,” she recalls.
“The cute puppy who wasn’t deaf would get taken, but the dogs with a hearing impairment would get left behind. It just wasn’t fair.
“It became really obvious that these guys needed more attention.”
And thus Hear No Evil was born. Initially Coombes intended to take on just one dog at a time — what’s now referred to as the ‘one dog project’ — but as awareness of the project grew, that concept didn’t last long.
“The first dog I invested training in I ended up keeping as my own,” she said, referring to her adoptive dog, Kado.
“He is the reason behind Hear No Evil.”
Originating in Townsville, there are now volunteers all across Australia who act as foster parents of hearing-impaired dogs, providing training and care until they are matched with an adoptive family. But quite often, the foster carers end up being the ones who keep the dog, Coombes has found.
“Effectively, it’s what we call a foster fail,” she said.
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“My vision is to create a strong, compassionate and respected rescue that not only saves and rescues deaf dogs but also one that helps educate the community that a deaf dog is first and foremost just a dog and deserves a second chance to find a safe and loving home.”
As for her advice for those looking towards adoption, Coombes said they’re looking for people who aren’t willing to give up at the first hurdle.
“They must understand or be willing to learn what’s going on for the dog,” she said.
“The bonus is people who will spoil the crap out of them. We want them to live their best life.”
Originally published as Meet the woman finding new homes for deaf dogs