Rescued dogs get new leash on life by assisting others

HELPING PAWS-This little guy has a big job: helping a hard-ofhearing adult maneuver around the hearing world. The Sam Simon Foundation puts rescued dogs to work as assistance dogs for the seeing and hearing impaired.

The Sam Simon Foundation was started in 2003 by writer/director/producer Sam Simon. The foundation offers two main programs: a spay and neuter mobile clinic for pets of low income city residents and an assistance dogs program.

The foundation's mission, "saving the lives of dogs to enrich the lives of people," does this in part by training shelter dogs to become hearing dogs for deaf and hard of hearing people and senior dogs for assisted living homes. All of their programs are provided free of charge through the generosity of Simon and the City of Los Angeles.

Hearing dogs are specially trained to alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing to common household sounds such as door knocks, telephones and smoke alarms. Hearing Dogs have legal access rights to accompany their person into public places such as grocery stores and restaurants.

In public situations, a hearing dog is providing environmental awareness by naturally paying attention to surrounding sounds.

Young adult dogs are adopted from animal shelters and humane societies in the Los Angeles area following an evaluation by an instructor. Dogs that do not complete the five-month training process to become hearing dogs are adopted as career change dogs to the public.

The foundation frequently places newspaper ads to find good homes for all of these dogs.

To learn more about the various programs of the Sam Simon Foundation, visit the website at www.samsimonfoundation.org.