Meet Cole: The Deaf Therapy Dog Who’s Spreading Love and Inspiring Kids Everywhere

You are such a sweetie,” Chris Hannah smiled as the 5-month-old pit bull scampered across the shelter floor, leapt into his lap and began licking his face. But the pup couldn’t hear Chris’ words.

“He was born deaf,” the shelter worker explained, but for Chris, this wasn’t a problem—it was, in fact, the reason he and his wife, Nicole, wanted to adopt him.

Chris’ nephew, Kevin, is also deaf. So when Chris spotted the adorable pup on the shelter’s website, he and Nicole decided he’d be the perfect fit for their family.

Chris is a 23-year veteran music teacher at Dr. William Mennies Elementary School in Vineland, New Jersey, and the 600 students there include many autistic and learning-disabled pupils.

“We named the new puppy Cole, after the music teacher’s deaf little boy in Mr. Holland’s Opus,” Chris explained, and the students cheered the idea.

Spreading love

Over the summer, Chris decided to get Cole certified as a therapy dog. But instead of using standard hand signals to train Cole, he used the American Sign Language his nephew had taught him.

Cole was a quick learner. Soon, Chris and Cole were volunteering at a local veterans center, and before school started, Chris asked the administrator, “Would it be okay if I brought Cole to school one day every week for the students?”

Usually, the first day of class is hectic with kids over excited and teary over leaving their parents. But that day, there were no tears—everyone wanted to say hi to Cole and give him pets.

“You realize, don’t you, you’re going to have to bring Cole every day,” the administrator said at the end of the day, and Cole was completely on board.

It wasn’t long before the music classroom was festooned with dog food and water dishes, three dog beds and a giant wooden box overflowing with toys and treats. Cole loved all the attention, but whenever he noticed one of the students was getting too quiet or upset, he’d wander over for a few comforting licks and hugs.

Chris had adopted Cole in November, so every November, he threw a birthday party at school. “Happy birthday to you!” the kids sang, signing the lyrics using the ASL they’d learned for the occasion.

“My little girl can’t wait to get to school every morning,” one of many grateful moms told Chris.

“It doesn’t matter that he can’t hear,” one child with a severe disability told Chris. “I love him with all my heart, just like my mom and dad love me.”

Everyone is special

Chris created a foundation—ColeTheDeafDog.com—and he and Cole began visiting other schools for assemblies, demonstrating how much Cole could do, despite his deafness.

“He’s here because no one wanted him, but look at all he can do,” Chris explained, motioning toward Cole. But Cole had already left the stage. He’d spotted a student near the rear of the auditorium who was visibly frightened of crowds and snuggled protectively at the little boy’s feet. 

“You’ll do great,” Chris tried reassuring a third grader named Ava who could sing beautifully but was terrified of performing in public. Cole was not scheduled to join the students’ performance, but the night of the recital, he sat in a chair beside Ava, and with Cole’s support, she sang her heart out.

“We want Cole on stage with us,” the students insisted the following December. Their holiday performance included a song about Santa, and Cole posed on stage in a reindeer costume. 

Then, last year, Cole sat in front of the student choir in a reindeer costume with a big, wrapped gift box on his back. Everyone laughed and cheered him on.

“All I wanted for Christmas was a puppy and I got a reindeer instead,” the kids sang their sad story, until the very end, when Chris gave the silent signal, Cole shook off the gift box and antlers­—Santa had brought a puppy after all!  

“I had to ask for a cart to carry all the gifts students and parents brought Cole,” Chris recalls. This Christmas will be Cole’s eighth with the students. “I’m so proud of Cole, but also my students,” says Chris. “They’ve learned that differences don’t make you less worthy and that a disability isn’t an inability!” And if you don’t believe it, just ask Cole.