Blind Pit Bull mix Max has been hired by his foster caretakers as the enthusiastic mascot for the Brooklyn Women's Rugby team.
Photo by N'usha Jaczek
Blind Dogs, Deaf Dogs, Wonderful Dogs!
Max is blind. Snow is deaf. Chumani is blind and deaf. All three dogs are white (a typical trait of deaf or blind dogs). All are Pit Bulls or Pit mixes. And all three were pulled from Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) shelters within the past year by Harriet Zucker of Red Hook Dog Rescue, an Alliance Participating Organization located in Brooklyn.
A ten-year rescue veteran, Harriet has carved out her own niche in the NYC rescue community by rescuing deaf and blind dogs. Her first rescue was a Dalmatian named Chief, who she first met tied up at a gas station. Chief, like many Dalmatians, was deaf. She took Chief home and immediately went online to learn all she could about caring for a deaf dog. She contacted a Dalmatian rescue for information, and joined a deaf dog Yahoo Group. And she took Chief to a training class, which is something she recommends to all new adopters.
Today, Harriet is a certified trainer and an expert on training and caring for deaf and blind dogs. And while she doesn't view their circumstances as a disability, she understands why they are harder to place with adopters, and she always coaches potential adopters on measures they should take to ensure the safety and well-being of a deaf or blind dog.
For example, for a deaf dog, hand cues and body posture replace verbal commands. A vibrating collar can be useful, especially in a distracting environment. And allowing a deaf dog off leash except in a safe, fenced area is never recommended. Harriet encourages anyone interested in adopting or learning more about deaf dogs to look up www.DeafDogs.org, and also to read Tell Me You Love Me: What's Different, and What's Not, About Training Deaf Dogs by Paul Klein.
Deaf Pit Bull mix Snow loves long walks and playing in the dog park, but her true passion is empty water bottles.
Photo by Harriet Zucker
For a blind dog, Harriet offers numerous suggestions to potential adopters. Some are common sense, such as don't move furniture around, and don't leave obstacles on the floor. Talk to them a lot. Use textured materials — throw rugs or indoor/outdoor carpeting — to cue your dog as to where he or she is in your home. (Blind dogs are good at mapping and remembering where they have been.) And when introducing your dog to new people, ask them to let your dog smell their hand before touching them. A useful resource for potential adopters is www.BlindDogs.com.
Harriet fundraises to pay the vet bills for her charges, and she relies upon foster homes for her rescue dogs. "I save them one at a time," she says. Currently, Max, Snow, and Chumani are awaiting new homes.
Max, at 55 pounds, is currently in a foster home with two women who are members of the Brooklyn Women's Rugby team. Max is the team mascot. "He loves to go to practice and to all their games — and to the parties afterwards," says Harriet. "He's quite the star!" She says Max is great with most other dogs, likes cats, loves people, and has the potential to be a therapy dog.
Snow, or Queen Princess Snow, as she likes to be called, doesn't let her lack of hearing slow her down. "She loves to play with empty water bottles," says Harriet. "She can entertain herself for hours!"
Chumani, a Pit Bull mix, is deaf and blind, but you'd never know it at first.
Photo by Esther Koslow
Chumani, also known as Anne Bancroft, is amazing, says Harriet. "She'll completely change your views about special needs animals." Although blind and deaf, people who meet her don't realize that at first. She's extremely social, easy to walk, and loves people and other dogs.
Harriet says that many people who adopt a deaf or blind dog can't imagine having any other kind of dog. If you are interested in adopting Max, Snow, or Chumani, you can contact Harriet at hszucker@mac.com. To meet them and some of the other dogs available for adoption from Red Hook Dog Rescue, visit their Adopt a Pet page.
