'Going to the dogs': First Little Free Dog Library finds success in Shepherdstown

SHEPHERDSTOWN -- While manning their storefront one day in July, Betty and Steve Shepherd were approached by a man from Springfield, Virginia, with an interesting community service opportunity.

The man, Don Hillmer, had begun working with a carpenter to craft Little Free Dog Libraries -- a dog-focused take on the more well known concept of the Little Free Library, which can be placed outside and filled with items that other people might find useful or enjoyable. Each Little Free Dog Library's sale raised funds for Hillmer's church, meaning it had a dual, positive purpose, as its purchase would help both a church and dog owners in need.