Meet Mackie and Harvey: Two Hearing Dogs Making Everyday Life Easier

Two remarkable hearing dogs are helping their owners live more independently thanks to years of specialist training and the support of local Lions volunteers.

Mackie, a Boston Terrier, and Harvey, a Labradoodle, recently achieved accreditation after completing their training with Lions Assistance Dogs. Along the way, members of the Yeppoon Lions Club assisted with follow-up training, visiting the dogs and their owners several times each week to help reinforce their responses to important everyday sounds.

Hearing dogs are trained to alert their owners to sounds such as doorbells, ringing phones, timers and knocks at the door. When they hear a sound, they locate its source, return to their owner, and guide them to where the sound originated. They are also trained to respond to emergency alarms and remain focused in busy public environments.

For Yeppoon Lions members, seeing the dogs’ skills in action and the strong bond they share with their owners has been a rewarding experience.

The club’s connection with Lions Assistance Dogs dates back to 2005, when members visited the training centre in Hahndorf, South Australia, and were inspired by the life-changing impact of the program. Since then, both the former Yeppoon Lioness Club and Yeppoon Lions Club have proudly supported Lions Assistance Dogs through donations and volunteer involvement.

Today, Mackie and Harvey are providing companionship, confidence and greater independence to their owners every day, demonstrating the extraordinary difference a well-trained assistance dog can make.