A former volunteer puppy trainer from Ripon has received his own hearing dog and has managed to regain confidence, companionship, and peace of mind after the devastating loss of his wife. Kevin Rafferty had previously volunteered with Hearing Dogs for Deaf People with his wife, Marylyn, and trained three puppies that support deaf people across the country. Kevin, 76, who has also been suffering gradual hearing loss for over 20 years, was matched with a three-year-old Cocker Spaniel Dexter in December 2025.