You and I would never dream of leaving our dogs outside 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Our dogs are members of our families. Who treats their friends like a discarded toy or forgotten bicycle, left out in the rain? Unfortunately, lots of people do. And in many parts of the country, this kind of neglect is legal. So PETA does what we can to make these forgotten dogs less miserable until attitudes and laws change. We deliver sturdy doghouses, straw bedding, toys, treats, food, fresh water, flea and worm treatment, spay/neuter surgeries, emergency vet care, and more. Our doghouse program makes a life-changing—and often lifesaving—difference for thousands of dogs every year in the areas surrounding PETA’s headquarters in Southeastern Virginia, and giving them that comfort is only possible with the support of generous people like these:

Vanguard Society member Wendy Doyle never turns her back on an animal in need. She has raised compassionate children and a canine family and has become guardian to the many deer on her vast property. Wendy supports PETA’s doghouse program because of her unwavering commitment to easing the suffering of any living being she can.

My sweet babies Sophie and Quincy have each other and a warm and comfortable place to be together and sleep at night. There are so many dogs who do not have these conditions on any level, and that is heartbreaking and so wrong. PETA’s doghouse program is vital, as every dog deserves a safe and comfortable place to live and thrive. In a perfect world, all dogs would be with their families inside with all the creature comforts they deserve, but that is not the reality. The work that PETA’s doghouse program does is crucial in helping dogs feel safe and comfortable and helping to educate families with little to no knowledge of what a dog needs to not only survive but also feel safe and loved. A huge thanks to the tireless work performed lovingly by the fieldworkers in this exceptional PETA program.

Wendy Doyle’s sweethearts, Sophie and Quincy, having happy dreams

Susan DeFazio has been a PETA supporter ever since PETA’s first case—the Silver Spring monkeys—and she has advocated for animals on both the local and national level for decades, including opening the first nonprofit spay/neuter clinic in Virginia in 1999.

When I think about what PETA’s doghouse program means to me, I immediately remember a situation that occurred just under a year ago. I received a call from a 16-year-old boy who had taken sole responsibility for a neighbor’s virtually ignored pregnant “backyard dog.” The situation came to a head when the dog delivered puppies and the boy discovered that one had frozen to death overnight. I counseled him to gather them up and take them to the local shelter. By that time, a second puppy had died, but thanks to that boy, the remaining pups and mother were now in a warm and safe, caring environment.

Things might have been different if the dog’s family had been introduced to the PETA doghouse program. After receiving a doghouse from PETA, the dogs are routinely visited and their health and living conditions are monitored by a fieldworker. They are offered food, a toy to play with, and checked for parasites or injuries. The fieldworker often becomes a friend and mentor to the dog’s human family, offering them a chance to view their companion animal in a much more compassionate and loving light.

While this program isn’t a perfect solution, it takes the important step of meeting people on their present level gradually hoping to elevate their respect and love for all animals and especially the ones in their own care.

Craig and Lisa Keffeler have been with PETA for 19 years. They became Augustus Club members in 2003 and Vanguard Society members last year. 

PETA addresses literally a world of animals needs. We are in awe of the PETA staff who go to the sites of cruelty and expose the horrors. Some animal abuse is the result of people’s limited resources, cultural biases, or simply ignorance about animals’ needs, rather than intentional cruelty. PETA is able to see beyond the “whys” and help these people improve the care of their animals through the doghouse program. “Backyard dogs” are not only cold and hungry but also desperately lonely. Our hope is that the doghouse program not only addresses the immediate need for shelter but also educates people about the pack nature of dogs and their need to be included in a family. If this generation doesn’t “get it,” perhaps the next one will—and will end the need for a doghouse program.

You can help by becoming a PETA doghouse program sponsor like Wendy, Susan, Craig, and Lisa. Your sponsorship gift can supply a sturdy custom-built doghouse to a “backyard dog” struggling to survive long days and nights outside in the snow and cold rain—and because PETA’s doghouses are made to last, you’ll be providing a dog with shelter from snow, wind, rain, and summer heat for years to come. Click here to sponsor a doghouse for a needy dog.