Hearing dog proves lifesaver

Bertie, a Yorkshire Terrier, wins an award for helping to save the life a woman in hospital

A three-year-old Yorkshire terrier called Bertie has won an award after he helped save the life of a woman in the same hospital ward as his mistress.

He has been named as dog of the month by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People with whom he is training.

Bertie, who weighs less than two bags of sugar, was visiting his owner Gill Stevenson, who was a patient at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales.

Jenny Moir of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, said: “Normally he would stay quiet, curled up at her feet. But on this occasion, he stood bolt upright, staring at the lady in the opposite bed.

“He became agitated and started to bark and when a nurse went to check, she discovered that there was a problem with her oxygen levels. “

“Hearing dogs are trained to sense when something around them is wrong and to alert their owners or others to danger, ” said Jenny

Bertie who has been training with his owner for 18 months has not yet passed his final test for Hearing Dogs, although his owner believes that the training is already paying off.

Jenny says the organisation, of which 75% are rescue dogs – is always looking for Hearing Dogs trainees

For more information (tel: 01844 353898) or visit www.hearing-dogs.co.uk