For more than a decade, the teen students at Saunders Secondary School in London, have volunteered their time during lunch breaks to build doghouses for Indigenous communities in the region.

During their lunch breaks, students turn old shipping crates into insulated doghouses with shingles to keep animals warm. The finished doghouses are donated to First Nations in the area. Over time, the project has grown to include cat shelters and school benches, showing how small efforts by youth can make a big difference in their community.

Before the end of the school year, students plan to send 30 doghouses to several nearby First Nations, including Delaware Nation at Moraviantown, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, and Munsee-Delaware Nation. Teacher Stephen Merklinger, who leads the project, says students have donated nearly 300 doghouses since 2015 and have also built cat shelters, gazebos, playsets, benches, and picnic tables.

There is strong demand for doghouses in Indigenous communities, especially in winter, due to cultural traditions, limited access to veterinary care, and the need for safe outdoor shelter for animals. More and more students from different backgrounds are participating in the program. The project has also grown beyond the school, with support from the school board and people in the wider community donating materials, helping with deliveries, and distributing the doghouses.

Source: Kendra Seguin, CBC