Walking by Neptune East, people might notice the little black and red doghouse that sits by a tree with the words “Huskie Habitat House” written over the entrance.

The doghouse was placed outside the residence hall in mid-September to bring recognition to Habitat for Humanity, a charitable organization dedicated to building affordable housing for families in need.

“It’s good publicity,” said sophomore English major Ashley Pearson, president of the NIU chapter of Habitat for Humanity. “I have gotten calls about it and some people looked us up on the Internet and were surprised we have a chapter here.”

The doghouse was called Huskie Habitat House because the houses they are building in DeKalb also are called Huskie Houses. Most of the building and the money raised are from NIU students and organizations.

“One house is already done,” Pearson said. “There is another one right next to it that is being built right now.”

Bobbie Cesarek, director of compliance of intercollegiate athletics, donated the doghouse a year ago and a local farmer donated the trailer on which it sits.

“It was my old dog’s house, my dog no longer needed it and I was trying to give it away,” Cesarek said. “During a conversation, a light bulb came on and it was perfect.”

The doghouse was in bad shape and members of Habitat for Humanity fixed it up and painted it. Now the doghouse is used in parades and festivals such as Corn Fest.

“We have had the house for a while now,” Pearson said. “Someone in residential and dining services thought it’d be a good idea to put it out there and then they gave us the permission.”

The doghouse will be there throughout fall and throughout the year. As long as residential and dinning services allows us to, we will have it there, Pearson said.

“I think the house looks cute and it is different,” said Michelle Fultz, a junior political science major. “It makes people interested in it and want to find out what it is about.”