The Texas summer sun can be brutal.

This summer has been a scorcher, with daytime highs pushing 100 degrees in Texas. While we still have about a month until the official end of summer, dogs have already died from heat exhaustion. The lost, unwanted, and abandoned animals across the Sun Belt are particularly vulnerable, with nowhere to go in the blistering heat.

The Healing Heart Rehab, a local animal rescue organization in Texas dedicated to caring for animals in need of medical attention and finding their forever homes, is currently working to build a shelter. They needed a contractor to build a stable structure with suitable materials to protect the animals that are being rehabilitated.

Melissa J., a former teacher turned self-learning contractor, volunteered to help build the shelter. She chose Ideal Pets’ Wall Entry Pet Door because she knew they were easy to install and would be able to withstand whatever weather came their way after construction. We asked her about the installation process while tackling the project on her own: 

Q: What do you think of the Wall Entry Pet Door? What do you like about the Wall Entry Dog Door?
Melissa: I really like that it has the two flaps to cover both sides of the wall and I like that one piece fits into the other to cover the wall space.

Q: How was the installation process? Did you do it on your own?
Melissa: I started off using the templates but found it difficult because it was flimsy, so I started using the actual door box and it worked really well. The first one took me about an hour but as I did more (a total of 10) and got the hang of it, I did five in about 2 ½ hours. I was able to do them myself, but it would be easier with another person on the opposite side to help hold it in.

Q: What made you decide to buy the Wall Entry Pet Door for your project?
Melissa: The dogs need a way to get in and out of the kennel and into the outside run. I liked the way these doors had flaps on both sides and magnets to help keep them closed. This will really help in the climate-controlled building to keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.

Thank you, Melissa. ❤️❤️

We’re proud of Melissa and Healing Heart Rehab for protecting pets and working towards ending pet homelessness in Texas, building one rescue shelter at a time. If you’d like to donate directly to the rescue, you can Venmo and PayPal @healingheartrehab or on their Instagram and Facebook pages @HealingHeartRehab.