New Tiny Home Village for Shelter Dogs Opens — And Is Already Making a Big Difference

An animal shelter in Pennsylvania has built a tiny home village for their dogs and the project is already impacting the canine residents in positive ways.

Animal Care Sanctuary (ACS) debuted what they are calling the Tiny Home Village in July. Each tiny home has a yard, two doors (one for dogs, one for humans), a bed, and comes equipped with air conditioning and heat. There are also benches or chairs for potential adopters to sit and spend time with the dogs.

The innovative facility isn’t just for show. The goal is to improve the dogs’ lives and increase their chances of adoption.

ACS wrote on their website:

“Not only are these homes cost-effective; they will limit disease spread, and the home-like environment will cut down on kennel stress. Kennel stress can lead to dogs developing behavior challenges which in turn can lead to longer stays in the shelter backing up the entire shelter system while we work to help these dogs overcome the challenges that being in a traditional kennel brings. Disease spread is an issue in every traditional kennel and challenges us financially as we provide expensive medical treatment and break our hearts when we are sometimes faced with preventable deaths.”

ACS’s CEO, Terri McKendry, gave a video tour of the tiny house accompanied by Brooklyn, one of their adoptable dogs.

Trouble viewing the video above? Try the version below.

“This is such a remarkable milestone, and inspiring to see a project that has taken over two years to come to fruition,” ACS wrote. “We invite everyone to join us for an exclusive close-up tour of this innovative tiny home community for our furry friends!”

ACS shared that they have already have noticed a difference in the dogs. ” In just a few short weeks of these tiny homes being open, the morale of our dogs has increased drastically,” they wrote on Facebook. “We can’t wait to see how else we can grow this village!” They added that they are already “seeing the calming effects of this stress-free living on the dogs.”

In recent weeks, the tiny houses have been further upgraded. Each dog now has a pool for the summer, and the yards have been fitted with astroturf, which can be sanitized easily and helps keep mud and dirt from being tracked inside.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive from both the dogs and the community. ACS wrote, “Over the past week, our Tiny Home Village has received some incredible recognition across the country and has reached the eyes and ears of millions!…This kind of national recognition not only highlights the importance of our mission but also inspires others across the country to consider alternative and sustainable living solutions for dogs in a shelter.”

They added, “It’s truly heartwarming to see the community come together to support our Tiny Home Village. The generosity and kindness we’ve experienced have been incredible, and we are immensely grateful to everyone who has helped us along the way.

Visit the Animal Care Sanctuary website to find out ways you can support them.