A house for a mouse

A little over five years ago, British man Simon Dell started building tiny homes for a wild mouse he found in his backyard.

• While the little buildings were originally meant to keep the mouse safe from cats, Simon found that they also helped his mental health. He had struggled with depression on and off for years, and the mouse houses gave him a new purpose and daily joy.

Fast forward to this year: Simon has expanded the little village to include multiple homes, stores, and tiny hobby areas for the mice. Also included are instruments for painting, photography, sailing, and more. Simon has about 20 mice that frequent the homes, while he also documents the mouse village on social media for 150,000+ followers.

💬 What he's saying: “Without photography, and the fun of making little things for little things, I could soon sink back into deep depression," Simon told the Good News Network/SWNS. "Photography [of the village] gave me a reason to get up and out again and the mouse village gave me back my smile. I hope it gives others the same joy it gives me.”

+Editors Note: This story first appeared in the Daily DONUT in April 2024.