We all know that not all dogs are lucky enough to have a home. Some are homeless and some are house pets. Among those house pets there are some that get to live a cozy life inside warm homes with their humans, while others spend their entire lifetime chained in backyards exposed to the elements. Well, this winter, five outside dogs in the Atlanta area are each getting a dog house of their own, all thanks to teenagers from the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.
Rescue 2 Restore, a program at the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, and the “Breaking Chains” program at the Atlanta-based Lifeline Animal Project, have come together to give incarcerated youth an opportunity to acquire life skills like carpentry, and help animals in need.
Young residents at DJJ’s Sumter Youth Development Center (YDC) built five dog houses featuring elevated floors and shingled, slanted roofs for maximum warmth and protection from the elements. These dog houses were delivered on November 4, 2014, to pet owning families that cannot afford appropriate shelter for their pets and who live in Atlanta’s low income areas.
Photo Credit: Rescue 2 Restore
Lifeline Animal Project’s program “Breaking Chains,” provides resources and education to Atlanta residents whose pets would otherwise always live their lives outside, tethered by a chain. Rescue 2 Restore teaches incarcerated teens life skills while educating them about animal care and compassion.
On delivery day, the Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Avery Niles accompanied two Sumter Youth Development Center students to deliver the dog houses to the Lifeline Animal Project. Both teens expressed their gratitude for being able to assist Lifeline in this lifesaving mission and provide appropriate shelter for dogs in need.
This was the first time Lifeline Animal Project and Rescue 2 Restore worked together to build dog houses. Both organizations plan to continue working together and change the lives of many more dogs in need.
