Shelter dogs sleeping better, thanks to donation

BRADENTON (FOX 13) - Being in the county shelter is pretty stressful for dogs, even when they're sleeping.

"We feel like every dog that's in our shelter deserves a bed to sleep on," said Hans Wohlgefahrt of Manatee County Animal Services.

And now, half of them do -- thanks to the fundraising of Friends of Manatee County Animal Services.  They raised the $50 to $70 per bed, assembled them, and donated them to the shelter.

The Kuranda beds, as they're called, give the dogs a soft place amidst the concrete where sometimes dogs have only half a kennel because of overcrowding.

"They're built tough so the dogs don't tear them up so easily and our goal is to have 40 more beds,” Wohlgefahrt explained.  “They rise up above the concrete, too, so the dogs actually sleep like they're in a little hammock, and it's supposed to reduce their stress in the kennels and they can sleep more comfortably through the night."

It seems like the least we can do for dogs that end up languishing behind bars, waiting for the family that -- way too often -- never comes.

LINK: More info from Friends of Manatee County Animal Services