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Okanagan college students build insulated doghouses for Vernon SPCA

The five doghouses were built as a part of the hands-on training for students in the Residential Insulator program.
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OC Residential Insulator students pictured with the five dog houses they built which are being donated to the Vernon SPCA. (Photo contributed)

Students at Okanagan College’s Vernon campus are helping dogs stay warm in the winter weather with a donation of insulated doghouses to the local SCPA.

Five large breed dogs adopted from the Vernon SPCA in the coming days will have the option of receiving one of the doghouses, ensuring they have a warm welcome in their new homes. The doghouses were built and insulated as a part of the hands-on training students are gaining in the Residential Insulator program.

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The program, which piloted last year and is now in its second cohort, provides students with specialized training in the increasingly technical building science surrounding residential insulation. Five teams of students each built and insulated a doghouse as a part of their training.

“We were looking for an alternate project for our program and loved the idea of building and insulating doghouses that would be comfortable for dogs as they are adopted into their new homes,” said instructor Luke Egely. “The students had a chance to bring their creativity to their projects and contribute to the community.”

An SPCA staff member and one of their adoptable dogs, Hawkin, were on-site at the College recently to check out the completed doghouses and meet the students who built them.

“We are very excited to be able to offer extra care items to people who are adopting a dog. It’s a great incentive for anyone who might not already own all of the supplies they need to provide shelter for an outdoor dog,” said Chelsea Taylor, branch manager of the Vernon and District SPCA.

The program provides tuition-free training for eligible applicants with funding from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.

Anyone interested in adopting an animal can visit the SPCA website for a current listing of animals in care, see photos and read more about them.

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