The Power of ASL
A Society Supporting Language, Literacy, and
Performing Arts in the Signed Modality
Summer 2019
A Newsletter of the Society for American Sign Language
Issue 14
Alice, the Endearing Deaf Dog
By Donna Fano
I was intrigued by Alice, an extraordinary deaf dog
who lived at the Sir James Whitney (SJW) School for the
Deaf in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, from 1972 to 1979.
She captured the hearts of many, leaving a lasting and
permanent mark. She was born deaf as a result of a
hereditary trait.
I was a rookie teacher in 1974 and met Alice for the
first time on the school grounds going for a walk with a
student. It was not until her death in 1979 that I learned
from her obituary that Farley Mowat, a famous Canadian
writer, and his wife Claire gave her to the school in 1972.
However, I did not know her background well, for she lived
in the residences and was never brought into school. I had
collected bits of information about her over the years, but it
was not until 2017 when I began digging deeper for more
information about her. My plan was to write a book about
Alice. By corresponding with her handler Rosemary Ryer,
the Mowat couple, and alumni students, I was able to
collect more stories about her.
In June 1972, Alice Mowat Whitney, a young deaf
crossbreed of a Labrador and a Newfoundland water dog,
was given to the Ontario School for the Deaf (now the Sir
James Whitney School for the Deaf). Alice was a gift from
Farley and Claire Mowat. Alice lived as a pet for the deaf
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The Power of ASL
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Summer 2019 – Issue 14