If you live in or near Muncie, Indiana, visit the animal shelter and ask for a Pokémon dog - but you might have to wait your turn.
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The latest craze to hit our culture is a mobile game called Pokémon GO, an augmented reality game that superimposes creatures throughout your surroundings as viewed on a smart phone. Using GPS data, the game leads an individual player on a hunt for catchable little cartoon-like creatures.
An animal shelter in Indiana has appealed to players of the game, suggesting a way they can help real-life animals while playing Pokémon GO. This week the Muncie Animal Shelter put a message on its Facebook page, inviting volunteers to take a dog for a walk while getting in their steps playing the game. It seems like a perfect match – the players are already walking all over the place searching for Pokémon, and the homeless dogs at the shelter are in need of exercise and fresh air and definitely a change of scenery.
The response has been, well, surprising. The idea appealed to lots of folks, some enough to respond and volunteer to walk the dogs. In fact, they had so many volunteers, the shelter had to buy more leashes!
A dog cooped up in a cage can become subdued, almost depressed, not showing its personality, making it less likely to be adopted. Getting an animal out of its cage and taking it for a walk improves its attitude and increases its chances for adoption. Plus, the exposure to other people away from the shelter may help it find a new home if folks know that’s a shelter dog in need of a new forever owner.
There are a few requirements for volunteers. You must be age 15 or older, or come with a parent. You must present a valid ID and complete some paperwork. You also must agree to be careful and not get so distracted by the game that you don’t pay attention to your surroundings, such that you put yourself and the dog in danger.
If you don’t live in Muncie, or even in Indiana, call your local animal shelter and volunteer to walk a dog. Whether you’re playing Pokémon GO or just going for a hike (or even a stroll around the block) you can make a positive difference for a real-life furry friend when you’re speaking of pets.
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