When Magherafelt man Kenny Gibson applied for a hearing dog his family and friends thought he was barking mad.
But Kenny’s new found K-9 friend Troy has transformed his life.
And the pet pooch was recently won the ‘life-changing hearing dog of the year’ at the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People awards in London.
Kenny, who has been deaf for 25 years, suffered a brain injury as a result of a work accident in 1997.
The injury left him suffering with severe mood swings and panic attacks.
To compound his bad health the south Derry man subsequently suffered a heart attack.
Kenny’s mood was so low that at times he didn’t want to leave his bed.
Then in 2005 he was thrown a lifeline when his social worker Wendy Longshaw suggested he apply for a hearing dog.
After waiting for two years for his application to be processed Kenny was eventually introduced to mongrel terrier Troy.
The pair bonded immediately and Troy has become Kenny’s best friend.
Kenny says troy has given him a new lease of life.
He said: “He has given me my life back, he tells me about the phone, the door and any alarms. He has helped me overcome my fear of people, shops and crowds. I take him out for walks and people stop to speak, asking about Troy. I’d be lost without him.”
Kenny’s social worker Wendy Longshaw says Troy has greatly enhanced Kenny’s quality of life.
She said: “Since Troy has been placed with Kenny I have seen a huge difference in his confidence and attitude to life. Kenny no longer ’shys away’ with Troy by his side. He is out and about meeting other people and enjoying life. We know from research, the difference assistance dogs can make to people’s lives.
“An assistance dog gives enormous psychological benefits, breaking down barriers to the outside world and helping to improve confidence. When you see them together it is clear that Troy and Kenny are best friends.”
The social worker said it was important that businesses and public bodies understand the importance of people with hearing and guide dogs.
“The Northern Trust’s aim is to make sure that services and premises are accessible to disabled people, we are raising awareness of disability issues. People need to know about assistance dogs and that they should not be refused entry. We need to inform everyone of the important role assistance dogs play in people’s lives.”