By Jay Meisel

Meisel@hometownnewsol.com

ST. LUCIE COUNTY - Fort Pierce resident Willie Bell Juste loves dogs.

She loves them so much that at one point, she had 11 dogs on her property.

But unable to afford having her property fenced, she's had dogs outside tethered, with makeshift doghouses for some of the animals.

Last week, employees at the Wal-Mart distribution center and United for Animals, a nonprofit group, stepped in to help.

They delivered a dog house, and it didn't take long for Lucy, one of Ms. Bell's five dogs, to go inside it.

"It's wonderful," Ms. Juste said, adding that she's used chairs and tables to provide some shelter for the dogs.

Pam Stephenson, head of United for Animals, a St. Lucie County-based organization, said 20 Wal-Mart employees, on their own time, built 33 dog houses.

Wal-Mart and East Coast Lumber donated the materials. Wal-Mart also donated $250 per employee who volunteered to United for Animals.

Among other things, United for Animals helps people who cannot afford veterinary bills for their pets. The organization also lobbied successfully for ordinances in Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County requiring pet registration with a higher fee for animals that weren't spayed or neutered, Ms. Stephenson said.

Barbara BJ Gasparre, a Fort Pierce animal control officer, originally came up with the idea for the dog house project, Ms. Stephenson said.

She supplied a list of names of needy dog owners, Ms. Stephenson said.

June Herzog, a Wal-Mart Distribution Center manager, said United for Animals approached her about the project and she thought it was "a fantastic cause."

Employees were anxious to help, she said.

In the future, United for Animals hopes to provide more dog houses and also help people, such as Ms. Juste, with fencing, said Susan Parry, a member.