The world is a tough place for homeless pets. Shelters often aren’t much better: They can be crowded, frightening places for many dogs, despite the shelter’s best efforts. This animal shelter in Austin, Texas is building tiny homes for rescue dogs to make shelter life better. These little homes are the perfect place for them to wait for their forever homes.
Tiny Homes for Rescue Dogs
Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) in Austin, Texas is reinventing the idea of an animal shelter. In place of traditional kennels, which can be crowded and noisy, they are building tiny homes for rescue dogs waiting to be adopted. (1)
The idea is to give the dogs a more home-like environment while they are in the shelter’s care. These little spaces will also be workspaces for both staff and volunteers. The homes will be reserved for the dogs with the highest need for a quiet, calm space. (1)
They want the homes to be a place where dogs can be trained and also where they can decompress. (1) Each little cottage will have (1):
- A yard
- Dog-friendly seating and workspaces
- Heating
- Air conditioning
Higher-needs dogs will be assigned to the cottages. The goal is that they will live there permanently until they are either fostered or adopted. (1)
APA! expects that their tiny homes for rescue dogs will be move-in ready by October. Currently, just a few items need to be finished up so that they are ready for the tail-wagging residents. (1)
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Other Innovative Dog Shelters
APA! isn’t the only shelter thinking outside of the box. Here are a couple other shelters doing great things for their dogs.
1. Muttville Senior Dog Rescue
Since 2007, Muttville Senior Dog Rescue has been working hard to place senior and special-needs rescues in homes. Based in San Francisco, they also have an end-of-life care program for dogs that are not adoptable.
2. New York Bully Crew
Pitbulls have a reputation for being aggressive, dangerous dogs. Anyone who owns one, however, knows this is not the case. Based on Long Island, the New York Bully Crew focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating Pitbulls, as well as ending the stigma surrounding the breed. They also work to raise awareness of dogfighting, abuse, and neglect.
3. Greyhound Pets of America
GPA was founded in 1987 and has chapters in 25 states across the country. Since conception, they have helped 80,000 retired racing greyhounds find forever homes.
4. Karma Rescue
Karma Rescue is best known for its Paws for Life program. This is a prison-based dog training program established in several prisons throughout California.
5. National Mill Dog Rescue
The National Mill Dog Rescue rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes the adult dogs that live at puppy mills. Based in Peyton, Colorado, the organization is 95% volunteer-based.
6. Angels Among Us Pet Rescue
Based in Georgia, Angels Among Us Pet Rescue is dedicated to saving dogs and cats from high-kill shelters.
7. K9s for Warriors
Florida-based K9s for Warriors is an organization that serves both dogs and military veterans. All of their rescues are trained as service dogs and then placed with military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma. If a dog doesn’t pass training, K9s places them in a regular forever home.
Wherever you live, there are animal shelters in need of donations, volunteers, foster families and those wanting to adopt. Reach out to your local shelter today to see how you can help save an animal’s life.
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