You bet it is, thanks to Hull (Mass.) Seaside Animal Rescue, which held its first Barkitecture Show and Auction last month. The event featured 20 custom-built doghouses designed by area architects and fetched more than $30,000 dollars for the group. Members of the group are seeking funds to build a permanent shelter for homeless animals. Shown here is Mostue and Associates’ “Pug-oda,” which raised $950 and placed in the “People’s Chews Awards.”

Based on the 8th century Japanese Yakushiji Temple, the “Pug-oda” is designed to give a pampered pooch a place to relax and be worshipped by its owner. The structure featured more than 20 board feet of red oak, 420 feet of roof tiles, a silk bed, and a hand-crafted lantern signed by the construction team. The Mostue Doghouse Design Team consisted of Paul Dobler, Roger Grave de Peralta, Steven Rowland, Damon Sidel, and Amanda Silverman.

The Hull Seaside Animal Rescue, a nonprofit organization staffed entirely by volunteers, reports that their Barkitecture show and auction was based on a concept popularized by Fred Albert’s book Barkitecture, a compilation of designer doghouses. Approximately 250 people attended the event, which, along with the live auction, featured a cocktail reception and silent auction of work by area artists, craftspeople, and merchants.

In addition to raising funds for a permanent shelter, Hull Seaside Animal Rescue aids and places homeless animals and assists in the care and control of the local feral cat population. For more information on the Barkitecture Show and Auction and the rescue group, visit their Web site.

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