The charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is seeking volunteers for various roles in Yorkshire. There are 42 vacancies for full-time puppy and dog training volunteers, alongside 51 vacancies for those able to provide short-term holiday cover.
One individual supported by the charity is Kevin Rafferty from Ripon, who is partnered with a Cocker Spaniel named Dexter. Mr Rafferty previously trained three dogs for the charity for 18 months each before experiencing partial deafness himself.
Hearing dogs are trained to alert owners to sounds such as smoke detectors, doorbells, and alarm clocks. Mr Rafferty was paired with Dexter in September 2025, with Dexter moving in with him in December of that year. Dexter assists Mr Rafferty with alerts to the cooker timer and smoke alarm, and also provides companionship.