Local organizations collaborate to bring dogs a better life

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A few local organizations in the Tennessee Valley are taking part in a new and exciting collaboration. The ultimate goal is to give dogs a better life!

Students at the North Alabama Homebuilding Academy are now constructing dog houses in collaboration with Huntsville Animal Services and Helping Animals Without Shelter (HAWS).

The ultimate goal is to help families across the valley lacking the means to build or buy a home for their dogs.

“We are always trying to help people in the community that have pets,” said Karen Buchan, program services supervisor of Huntsville Animal Services. “We’ve got a group wanting to teach their students how to do proper construction and we need those dog houses.”

Not only does this collaboration give students at the homebuilding academy a chance to master core constructing skills, but it also gives dogs the well-built homes they deserve.

“Our homebuilding academy is an educational organization to teach basic homebuilding construction skills, said Barry Oxley, executive officer of the Huntsville Madison County Builders Association. “One of our projects is to build a dog house because the students learn framing, they learn floor systems, they learn how to roof a building. So our dog houses are kind of like a micro house, a good learning tool.”

Once the homes are built, Helping Animals Without Shelter (HAWS) delivers them to different areas in our community. Lisa Shedd, executive director of HAWS says it’s her team’s job to inform the public about better living conditions for their pets.

“We go with kindness and no judgement,” Shedd said.

Unfortunately, many dogs chew through their homes and that is why HAWS is so thankful for the wooden, sturdy homes being provided.

“The houses that we use are not always great houses like this wonderful organization is making right now,” Shedd said. “These are amazing houses and they will give them much better protection from all of the elements than some of the ones that we use.”

Links to get involved.

Huntsville Animal Services: https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/environment/animal-services/

Helping Animals Without Shelter (HAWS): https://www.hawshelp.com/

North Alabama Homebuilding Academy: https://www.gobuildyourfuture.com/

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