I am a college student and I volunteer everyday at the local animal shelter. I have come across one particular dog that I am madly in love with. The shelter is located in a small town and it is not well known so adoptions are few and unfortunately euthanasias are common. I live in the dorms so I can't house a pet BUT I have found a way to build a wooden fence on the shelter property and buy a doghouse so i can adopt the dog and he can live in the pen. I would give him exercise everyday and take him out to town on the weekends and he would obviously have proper vet checkups, food, water etc.

In this town many people have outside dogs that live outside permanently and don't get any human interaction so I think this is better than that and obviously better than him being put down soon... pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

is it humane for me to build the pen and have him live in it outside?

No, it's not inhumane but if you neglect or abuse him everyone will be able to see it, whereas an inside dog has no one to see it being abused or neglected. Take care of your dog like normal people do and it will be fine.

IF you are really going to interact with him daily, I'd say build the pen. If you start to find yourself just feeding/watering him and not interacting with him, have him put down.

Why don't you contact a near by animal rescue and see if they can take him.

Search for a no kill shelter or rescue here: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters.html

ooh, that is pretty sad. Dogs need shelter, and they need to be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Maybe, if you are insistant, you can do this AND work on getting the dog rehomed. If it's a huge dog, maybe it could go to a farm or something and it would have a nice warm barn to stay in. pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

You sure are willing to go that extra mile for that dog, but he just can't be out in temperature extremes.

Depending on the weather where you live and only as a temporary solution.
If you live in the north it would be cruel to leave the dog outside during the winter.
Find a house or mobile home with a yard to rent while you are in college.

Of course not. There are thousand dollar hunting dogs that live in outdoor pens all the time. Believe it or not, dogs are designed to live outside. I also look at the fact it is a temporary situation. You plan on taking this dog with you on weekends and I assume you will move him when you graduate or move to a pet-friendly apartment. Good for you.

In the wild weather were having? Yes. How long would the dog be forced to live like this? Could you find him a foster until you move? DOgs like to be inside with their humans and he is almost better off not living than having to live outside in the cold, alone in a small pen with little interaction. Sorry.

i say if you really are intent on doing this then make sur you feed water and interact with him every day!! dogs grow lonely easy and need lots of attention ! if you do find yourself not having time for him then try to find a friend who could take him or a family member that way you could still see him occasionally(: good luck

It's only cruel to keep a dog outside if it doesn't have proper shelter and proper social interaction. Provided you build it a nice kennel area with a roof and a dog house to keep itself warm and make sure it gets exercise and socialization, then there's no problem. pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
I believe pet dogs belong inside, but that's the ideal situation. You are trying to save this dog's life and you can make it a perfectly good living situation outside with some work and extra effort.

Try contacting a breed rescue, or any private, no-kill facility. Honestly... I don't think that even 2 hours a day of socializing and exercise is enough for a dog to have a good life, and can you honestly say that you could do even that much every single day, no matter what? It's awfully easy to just fill his bowls and go home because you're tired. You're in school. You won't have much time. You'll also still be paying quite a bit for the care and upkeep of this dog. Can you afford it, especially if you don't have a job? Even if you do, that's more time the dog spends isolated.

Adopting the dog honestly sounds like a bad solution. Do you have any friends or family that would be willing to foster him until you can find him a good adoptive home? I'm sure the shelter doesn't want to euthanize him, and if you're willing to go the extra mile to find him a great home with plenty of time for him you can save him and keep up his quality of life.