DIY kennels to profit SPCA

Teams built and painted kennels for Hastings and Districts SPCA at a kennel building workshop hosted by Mitre 10 Mega Hastings at the weekend

Hastings and Districts SPCA has been given a colourful boost, in the form of 30 dog kennels built from scratch.

The organisation will benefit from a kennel building workshop hosted by Mitre 10 Mega Hastings at the weekend, which saw 30 teams of DIY devotees knocking together cosy shelters for canines. The builders signed up to build and paint a kitset kennel - once finished they could either negotiate a price to take it home or the SPCA could sell it, with profits going to the shelter.

Mitre 10 Mega Hastings and Napier marketing manager Kerry Meehan said the day was a resounding success.

"The results have turned out really well, so the SPCA will have some very well made and decorated kennels to sell. It was a real family affair, with kids really getting stuck in on the construction and painting."

The SPCA would be listing the kennels for sale on Trade Me from next week and all proceeds would go to the shelter.

The fundraising event, now in its second year, is about keeping dogs warm during winter.

Last year, people took their materials away to build a custom dog house, but this time they were given the materials and time to make them on site.

Ms Meehan said creating a kennel at home from scratch would cost about $130 in materials, while a ready-built one is upwards of $200.

Mtre 10 Mega Hastings ran the event and provided the materials, while Resene donated paints.

It costs about $23,000 per month to run the Hastings and Districts SPCA shelter, which does not receive any government funding or lotteries grants, meaning it is entirely supported by fundraising efforts by the local community.