Since the February 6, 2015 wind storm, Safe Haven started working towards providing a higher quality of life for the dogs with positive behavioral changes. The ‘Concept-to-Reality’ initiative replaces normal size dog houses with human style dog cottages and configures the enclosures to be more home-like for the resident dogs. The cottages are intended to be of different sizes (6’x6’, 8’x8’, 8’x7’ and 6’x12’) and styles focused around the need of the particular dogs. The cottages are fully insulated, shingled roof, a patio desk, fully functioning screened windows, air conditioner/heat, lights and people and dog door. In addition, the yard is configured to be more “home-like” for the resident dogs.
Since Safe Haven implemented this initiative, the dogs have proven to be more social and continue to improve on removing negative behavioral issues from the past. The ‘Concept-to-Reality’ initiative has shown to enhance the journey in so many ways and allows the long term residents to live a thriving life. The advantage of the cottage size provides an all-weather condition to work with the dogs by the staff, volunteer and our youth student program. It took three years but by end of 2017, Phase I of the initiative is flourishing and the dogs proved the initiative works! All of our long-term/sanctuary dogs now have eight cottages. The facility has trees and bushes, roof over both sides of the indoor/outdoor kennel runs, four enclosures with privacy fencing, pergola and gazebo and some have water ponds! Phase II started in 2018 with Cottage #6.
We stay true to our focus and sometimes we just provide a place for a wounded spirit to reawaken. Since many of our dogs are not bonded to people and do not like being touched we allow them to live a comfortable unpressured lifestyle until they are ready for the next step in their journey. The inspiration of providing an opportunity to make an impact focused on measurable goals for the well-being of each individual dog truly excites us. Follow us on Facebook - SafeHavenRescueKennel
