How has the community around you responded to your needs, and the needs of other deaf puppies?
I appreciate the fact that there ' s interpreters at contests both locally and internationally which is pretty amazing in its own right, people are so willing to invest the time into using different methods of communication. Texting, gestures, writing on pen and paper, they take the time to get to know I as the pup that I am. I love that, I do.
Is there more that could be done locally, and further afield, to help the situation of yourself and others like you?
Any and every little help is absolutely incredible, even learning the basics of sign language as a option, so that we deaf puppies are comfortable being the minority in a majority.
If there was one thing you could say to the community at large, what would you tell them?
I ' d say diversity is what makes the community such a great and accepting place to be in, a secondary family if you ' ll call it that.
What would you like to tell deaf people who are dubious about becoming a pup due to fear of being treat differently?
I ' d say that it ' s okay to be a little scared, i know i was because it was akin to diving into the unknown and i ' m glad i did, otherwise i wouldn ' t have had the experiences i ' ve had or met others who provided guidance and became fast friends.
The Pup / Leather community has some of the greatest people you will ever have the pleasure of knowing so don ' t be afraid to dip a paw into the water. In other countries, such as the UK, there is little to no support for deaf puppies or even more generally, for puppies with any sort of disability. What advice can you give those countries moving forwards as they encounter more and more puppies who might need more help than the average pup?
It ' s so important to have multiple resources available for those in need, language, accessible environment, etc. I ' d encourage an inclusive space that accommodates everybody equally instead of being bodily or hearing exclusive. We do and can adapt when necessary but others should be on the same page to adapt to those with disabilities as well, just my two cents.
Pup Nightmare, as interviewed 23rd June 2016