Les chiens du silence

What Les chiens du silence does

Association les Chiens du Silence is a French non-profit organization (loi 1901) founded in 2010 and headquartered in Escondeaux, Hautes-Pyrénées, with a single operating site in the foothills of the Pyrenees featuring 4,500 m² of technical spaces and sheltered kennels. It is the only organization in France certified for the provision of hearing assistance dogs (certification granted 2017) and a member of the national confederation CANIDEA (2017) and a European expert network (2021). The association trains Australian Shepherds (predominantly) and Labradors over a 22-month proprietary program, sourced via an exclusive breeding partnership (Elevage Du Chemin Des Korrigans, 2013), socialized through a foster-family program, and matched to deaf and hard-of-hearing beneficiaries across France, with a specialized adaptation for polyhandicap cases since 2017.

The core product is the certified hearing assistance dog, provided entirely free of charge to beneficiaries, who apply via a dedicated beneficiary platform or through partner disability organizations and are assessed by a volunteer committee. Since inception 140 dogs have been placed, with the 100th handover on October 8, 2022, and current throughput of approximately 10 placements per year and 30 dogs in training at any given time. The association retires dogs at age 7 (with medical review) or 10, with rehoming available for reformed or retired dogs.

The business model is donation-funded rather than commercial: dogs are provided free of charge, with annual inflow sourced from individual public donations (HelloAsso, with 66% French tax deduction), the "Born to Hear" tiered puppy sponsorship subscription (€5/€20/€50 monthly), annual membership dues, an online boutique, corporate sponsorship (Royal Canin Foundation, Google, Microsoft, TotalEnergies, Banque de France, SNCF, AIRBUS, and regional foundations including Fondation Dômes Pharma, Fondation Krys, and Fondation Optic 2000), and micro-donations via Joko, Lovalink/Lilo, PennyPet, and PayPal. The full per-dog cost from arrival to retirement is approximately €15,000, of which 80% is allocated to development and training.

Name

Les chiens du silence

Legal name

Association les Chiens du Silence

Website

https://leschiensdusilence.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Les Chiens du Silence is a French non-profit association founded in 2010 that trains and provides certified hearing assistance dogs free of charge to deaf and hard-of-hearing people across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Assistance Dog Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Handler Training, Certification & K9 Unit Compliance Services (BPAKAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

K9 Handler & Working Dog Security Training (BPAKAOAK)

Keywords

• Hearing assistance dogs
• Disability support services
• Assistance dog training
• Deaf accessibility services
• Animal-assisted support

Headquarters

HQ city

Escondeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Donations: One-time or recurring donations from individuals, made via the HelloAsso secure platform. Tax receipts issued automatically by email. Donations fund dog acquisition, 22-month training, and awareness campaigns. French tax law provides 66% income tax reduction for individual donors.
2. Born to Hear Puppy Sponsorship: Monthly sponsorship program (5€/month to 50€/month) where individuals sponsor a specific ambassador puppy. Sponsors receive updates, origami sets, stickers, and exclusive photographs depending on tier. Pooled with all funding streams and allocated by priority needs.
3. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for individuals wishing to support the association and become formal members (adhésion).
4. E-commerce / Boutique: Online store (boutique.leschiensdusilence.fr) selling merchandise, with proceeds supporting operations.
5. Corporate Sponsorship and Institutional Grants: Financial and in-kind support from corporate partners (Royal Canin Foundation, Google, Microsoft, TotalEnergies, Credit Mutuel, etc.), foundations (Fondation Dômes Pharma, Fondation Krys, Fondation Optic 2000, Fondation Dominique & Tom Alberici), and public institutions. Corporate donors can deduct up to 60% of donation amounts as business expenses. Puppy sponsorship can also be classified as advertising for corporate deductibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Association les Chiens du Silence is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) that trains and places certified hearing assistance dogs entirely free of charge to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals across France. Each dog undergoes a 22-month proprietary training program covering 30 French sign language commands, sound recognition, physical alert behaviors, and socialization, with specialized adaptations available for beneficiaries with multiple disabilities. The service is funded by public donations, corporate sponsorships, and the Born to Hear monthly puppy sponsorship program.

Product overview

Les Chiens du Silence is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in 2010 that trains and provides hearing assistance dogs entirely free of charge to deaf and hard-of-hearing people across France. The core offering is the hearing assistance dog (chien d'assistance écouteur) — an Australian Shepherd (95% of dogs) or Labrador/Golden Retriever trained over 22 months to alert beneficiaries to daily sounds. The service portfolio also includes the Born to Hear sponsorship program (allowing monthly support of a specific puppy), monetary donations via HelloAsso, a foster family program for puppy socialization, retirement/rehoming services for retired or reformed dogs, and specialized polyhandicap dogs for beneficiaries with multiple disabilities. All dogs are provided at no cost, funded by public donations, sponsorships, and institutional partners. The association also offers free press and communication resources for partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Born to Hear: Sponsorship program for puppies in training, allowing supporters to closely follow the training of ambassador puppies through monthly contributions starting at €5.

Products and services

• Hearing assistance dogs (Chiots d'assistance écouteurs) Certified hearing assistance dogs (95% Australian Shepherds, plus Labradors and Golden Retrievers) trained over a 22-month program to alert deaf and hard-of-hearing people to daily sounds (doorbells, phones, alarms, sirens, smoke detectors, voices, vehicles) at home and outdoors. Dogs wear a distinctive blue cape and are provided entirely free of charge to the beneficiary.
• Polyhandicap hearing assistance dogs Specialized hearing assistance dogs trained to support beneficiaries with multiple disabilities (visual impairment/surdicécité, psychomotor disorders, hypervigilance/anxiety, diabetes) alongside their primary hearing assistance role. Offered on a case-by-case basis since 2017, with approximately 10% of training time dedicated to secondary disabilities while maintaining hearing as the primary priority.
• Born to Hear puppy sponsorship program (Parrainage Born to Hear) Monthly sponsorship program allowing donors to support a specific puppy ambassador during its 22-month training journey, with three tiers at €5, €20, and €50 per month. Sponsors receive origami sets, stickers, and exclusive photographs depending on tier, plus monthly email updates about their sponsored dog (in French).
• Donations (Dons) One-time or recurring monetary donations to fund dog acquisition, the 22-month training cycle, and awareness campaigns. Donors choose their own amount (€10 funds one toy, €30 funds one month of food, €100 funds a full recipient kit); tax receipts are issued automatically via HelloAsso with 66% income tax reduction available for French individual donors.
• Foster family program (Famille d'accueil) Volunteer foster families host puppies from age 2 months to 18 months for socialization, basic obedience training, and exposure to diverse environments (transport, public places, other animals) under the guidance of the association's trainers through regular group lessons.
• Retirement and program exit services Post-placement lifecycle service where dogs retire at age 7 (with medical review) or 10. Reformed dogs (removed from program) and retired dogs are offered for adoption to selected families. Beneficiaries may keep their retired dog or be assigned a new dog.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140 dogs placed with deaf and hard-of-hearing beneficiaries since 2010
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CANIDEA (Confédération Nationale des Organisations d'Assistance et d'Aide à la Vie)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017CANIDEA is the national confederation of assistance dog organizations in France. The association joined CANIDEA in 2017 as part of its formal recognition as a certified hearing dog organization. Paul Charles serves as President of CANIDEA and has provided a testimonial for the association.
• OBAC (Observatoire de l'Accessibilité des Chiens guides et d'assistance)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017OBAC monitors accessibility for guide and assistance dog users in France. The association reports refusals of access to OBAC for statistical purposes and escalation to government authorities.
• Elevage Du Chemin Des KorriganscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Exclusive kennel partnership since 2013 for Australian Shepherd puppies. The association works exclusively with this quality breeder to select puppies with the best temperament and health for hearing dog work. All Australian Shepherd puppies since 2013 have come from this breeder. The kennel ensures genetics free from common breed health problems.
• L'Arche des AssociationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational federation of animal protection, animal mediation, animal rights and animal knowledge associations. The association is a member of this federation, which supports its mission and provides networking within the animal welfare sector.
• PennyPetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet banking app offering cashback and emergency funds for pets. Supports the association by donating 0.10% of user spending and promoting the association to its user base.
• JokominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCashback browser extension and app. Users can donate all or part of their cashback earnings to the association starting from €5, directly from the Joko app.
• Lovalink / LilominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSearch engine (Lilo) and browser extension (Lovalink) that converts user searches and purchases into donations to chosen associations. Users can set automatic donations to the association.
• HelloAssominorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench non-profit donation platform used for secure online donations, membership sign-ups, and event registration. Provides automatic tax receipt issuance and donation management tools.
• GAELIS (Groupement des Associations et Elus-Etudiants de Lyon Indépendants et Solidaires)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudent association network founded in 1993, bringing together Lyon's student associations. Organized a Village Associatif event in honor of the association on April 1, 2023.
• Agence VulpesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDigital agency that designed and maintains the association's website. Also receives contact form submissions for technical support purposes only.
• APEL Massabielle Lourdes, Cité scolaire Pierre Mendès France, Ecole des Métiers de Tarbes, Ensemble Scolaire Pradeau-La Sède, Institution Saint Joseph, Lycée Louis QuerbesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational institutions that organize solidarity events (races, presentations, village associatifs) to support the association. Partners include primary schools, middle schools, high schools, technical schools, and universities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Guide Dogs for the Blind (UK): UK charity that trains guide dogs for visually impaired people, the largest assistance dog organization in the UK. Comparable non-profit model — structured training program, free placement, donation-funded — but focuses on visual impairment rather than hearing loss.
• Fédération Française des Associations de Chiens guides d'aveugles (FFAC): French federation representing guide dog schools and associations across France. Comparable structure — French association model, certified training centers, free placement — but focuses on visual impairment and operates as a federation rather than a single training center.

Direct peers

• Hearing Dogs for Deaf People: UK charity that trains and provides hearing dogs to deaf people in the UK. Direct functional equivalent — same beneficiary population (deaf/hard-of-hearing), same service (alert to daily sounds), same free-placement non-profit model — but operates in UK with longer history (1982).
• International Hearing Dog: US non-profit that trains and places hearing assistance dogs with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals across North America. Direct equivalent — hearing dogs free of charge, structured training program, donation-funded — but operates in US/Canada with broader geographic reach.
• Mira Foundation: Canadian non-profit that originally trained hearing dogs (founded 1981) and has since expanded to guide and service dogs. Direct comparator — historical inspiration cited in Les Chiens du Silence's 2010 founding, same hearing dog origin story, donation-funded free placement model.
• ANECAH: Association Nationale d'Éducation et de Placement de Chiens d'Assistance pour personnes en situation de Handicap — French national body for assistance dog education and placement. Comparable mission and regulatory positioning within the French assistance dog ecosystem, with broader multi-disability scope.
• Handi'Chiens: French non-profit that trains and provides assistance dogs (mobility, hearing, epilepsy, autism) free of charge to people with disabilities. Directly comparable model — French association, free placement to beneficiaries, multi-disability training, donation-funded — but broader scope than hearing-only.
• Dogs for the Deaf: US non-profit that trains hearing assistance dogs and also rescues dogs from shelters for service dog training. Direct equivalent in hearing dog mission, donation-funded free-placement model, with a distinctive rescue-to-service pipeline approach.

Others

• CESECAH: Centre d'Étude, de Sélection et d'Élevage de Chiens guides pour Aveugles et autres Handicapés — French breeding and training center for guide and assistance dogs. Listed partner/sponsor of Les Chiens du Silence; adjacent enabling organization that provides puppy breeding infrastructure to the French assistance dog sector.
• Fondation Adrienne et Pierre Sommer: French foundation promoting the human-animal bond and funding animal welfare and animal mediation organizations. Comparable non-profit mission-aligned funder in the French animal welfare sector; potential alternative funding peer and ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chiensdusilence
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwySOe7ObXd5auBullIrHrQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/leschiensdusilence
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leschiensdusilence
• Instagraminstagram.com/les_chiens_du_silence
• TikToktiktok.com/@leschiensdusilence

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Les chiens du silence