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Big hearts, tiny homes: Volunteers help build tricked out shelters for rescue dogs

TAILS dog rescue center's new tiny homes will be equipped with a recliner, air-conditioning unit, radio, dog bed and toys.

Buddy is the goodest little boy. He’s just one of the many dogs benefitting from Tiny Homes being built by TAILS-- Teaching Animals & Inmates Life Skills. 

The tiny homes are built for rescue dogs that need to decompress from the shelter or need to live out their days in a sanctuary format. Each tiny home will come equipped with a recliner, air-conditioning unit, radio, dog bed and toys for each dog.

“It’s as close to a home as these dogs have ever had,” Jen Deane, executive director of Pit Sisters and TAILS, said.

Credit: Abigail Curran

Right now, there are five homes in use that have been bought and sponsored on the property. One of the tiny homes is sponsored by Cypress Village, an assisted living home. A senior dog will live out its days in their own little slice of heaven. There are four more homes on the way next week, with three bigger homes set to house no more than eight dogs.

The tiny home development is being built on 20 acres of land in a rural part of Callahan.

The TAILS Doc Tony Rescue and Rehabilitation Compound is the latest project taken on by Pit Sisters, a Northeast Florida rescue group. “Doc Tony” Crothers is a local chiropractor and animal-rescue supporter who has been a major donor to the Pit Sisters programs.

Pit sisters was started in 2011 by Jen Deane after she noticed hundreds of Pit Bull mixes on cue cards all over shelters. 

“Over the last 8 years, we’ve saved over 1,500 dogs,” Deane said.

Pit Sisters took over the TAILS program from First Coast No More Homeless Pets about three years ago. 

“The Tails program saves human and dog lives.” They have saved 500 dogs with the program so far.

Today, 40 volunteers from Topgolf came to help get the tiny homes ready for their new dog owners. Volunteers painted houses, put up fencing and walked the dogs on the property.

The Callahan compound will be used to rescue, rehabilitate and train dogs. It will also be used to train up-and-coming dog trainers, Deane said. The compound will have a training center, three fenced play yard and multiple dog-walking paths.

RELATED: TAILS dog rescue center gets new tiny homes compound

When complete, the center will have enough space for 50 dogs, each one living in its very own tiny house.

For more information about TAILS, go to pitsisters.org/tails. To sponsor or adopt a TAILS dog or volunteer at the TAILS center, contact Jen Deane at jen@pitsisters.org. To donate, go to gofundme.com/f/tailsdoc-tony-rescue-and-rehab-compound or at pitsisters.org/donate-today.

Pit Sisters would also like to thank all the businesses that have helped so far with this project.

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