This Brazilian truck driver has built more than 1,700 wooden homes for stray dogs and cats, giving them shelter from rain and cold

Every week, Brazilian truck driver Leomar Aparecido Miguel spends days transporting goods across the country. On his days off, however, he swaps the steering wheel for a hammer and saw to build wooden shelters for stray dogs and cats. The São José do Rio Preto resident has constructed and donated more than 1,700 shelters in nearly three years through his volunteer initiative, Semeadores do Bem Pet. The self-taught carpenter was inspired after seeing homeless animals soaked by rain with nowhere to sleep. Today, his handmade shelters are distributed free of charge to rescuers, animal shelters and low-income families caring for abandoned pets, offering vulnerable animals protection from rain, cold and extreme heat.How one rainy night inspired a truck driver's mission to help stray animalsLeomar's journey began with a simple but heartbreaking observation. While sitting inside his truck during a cold and rainy night, he noticed stray dogs and cats wandering the streets with nowhere to take shelter. Although many people left out food and water for the animals, very few addressed another basic need: protection from the weather.The sight stayed with him long after the rain had stopped. Det...