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Doggie Townhouses

Biting histories and temperament issues—whether real or imagined—bring many dogs to Home for Life®.

We believe that every animal deserves care and respect, regardless of how they behave toward people or other animals. Oftentimes, aggressive behavior can be traced to mistreatment or misunderstanding.

HFL's doggie townhouses are the perfect place for fractious dogs who need to live in small groups, solo, or in pairs. The townhouses have all of the amenities of our main dog building, enabling misunderstood dogs like Hal to live in comfort.

For more information about doggie townhouses and our other animal "homes," see our Tour the Facility section.


Hal holds down the fort on the porch of his townhouse, which he shares with HFL's Executive Director during her office hours.

Pit Bulls

Pit bulls are an often misunderstood and mistreated breed. However, all of HFL's pit bulls, who receive the care and understanding that every dog deserves, are good-natured, happy dogs.

Read about some of our other pit bulls and pit bull mixes:

Hal's Story

Hal out in the fields in Autumn
Hal enjoys a spring day with animal care specialist Jessie Magnine.

Hal is a handsome black and white pit bull. Although Hal's history is a mystery, it can be surmised from his mutilated ears (shorn off nearly to the base) that he was ill used—a sad indication that someone intended him to be a fighter. We also suspect that Hal's gentle personality probably made him a less than successful fighting dog.

One day, near closing time, personnel at an area shelter got a call from a hysterical woman who claimed a vicious pit bull was in her yard and she feared for the lives and safety of her small kids. The shelter representative rushed over to the woman's home and found a pitiful, emaciated, beat-up old pit bull, resting quietly and soaking up the late afternoon sun. He readily approached the worker in response to her kind words, and willingly got into the crate in the shelter vehicle.

At the shelter, the staff found that Hal was so emaciated that his back muscles had deteriorated and left him lame in his back legs. His coat was brittle and harsh and his poor thin body was covered with wounds and scars. His condition and apprehension around other dogs suggested that he had probably been used as a "bait dog" once he proved unwilling or unable to fight.

With the good care he received at the shelter, Hal gained weight, his wounds healed and his coat became glossy. Unlike most of the other dogs at the shelter, he seemed happy and very content, demonstrating how hard his life must have been before he was rescued. His optimistic and happy-go-lucky nature endeared him to all the workers.

For nearly a year and a half, Hal remained at the shelter, overlooked by potential adopters, perhaps due to his breed, his age, his lame back leg or the fact that he would have to live as an only dog. At last, the shelter, facing a heavy influx of new dogs that spring, realized that Hal's days were numbered.

After all that Hal had been through, Kathy, one of the workers at the shelter, felt that he deserved a chance for stability, love and happiness. He asked so little and was always so grateful for everything that came his way. Kathy asked Home for Life® to accept him at our sanctuary.

As luck would have it, we had a townhouse open! Home For Life's townhouses are designed to house dogs that need to live solo or in pairs due to unpredictability with other dogs.

Since coming to Home for Life®, Hal has been in his glory, with plenty of toys and play time each day. He has the companionship of other dogs that live in adjoining townhouses, but also has his own "personal space" to ensure his peace of mind and sense of safety. He always has a big smile and enthusiastic hello for our visitors and loves to show off his toys!