The recent outbreak of Pokemon GO fever that’s infecting the world has had its upsides, downsides and downright hilarious moments, but so far, few if any have seen fit to actually capitalize on the phenomena in a meaningful way, aside from the occasional “Pokemon are for paying customers” sign or enterprising trainer offering to play the game for others in exchange for a bit of cash. A local animal shelter in Muncie, Indiana seems to be the first to really take advantage of the masses of Pokemon trainers in the streets of their town in a way that really goes with the flow. The shelter is asking them to walk dogs.
Just as much as Muncie’s Pokemon need catching, their dogs need walking. Specifically, the shelter dogs that far outnumber their human volunteer counterparts are in dire need of walking. Since walking those dogs and playing Pokemon GO are the same core activity, strutting around the City, it makes sense to put the two together. Thus, the shelter put out a call for aspiring Pokemon masters to help them out with their large number of under-walked canines, since these trainers would be roaming the city anyway. Interested parties can simply make their way to the shelter, ask about “Pokemon dogs”, and score a canine companion for their day of Pokemon wrangling. All of the dogs to be walked are adoptable, so anybody who happens to fall for their furry friend for the day can file the requisite paperwork and make them a permanent partner in Pokemon GO and in life.
The Muncie Animal Shelter’s idea, and the concept of taking advantage of Pokemon GO players in general, is likely to catch on in short order, hopefully turning the massive popularity of Pokemon GO into a force for good. A large number of possible ideas for Pokemon GO players to make a difference are out there, and they will doubtlessly begin to show themselves in due time. In the mean time, if you happen to be in the Muncie area and are interested in taking one of the shelter’s dogs with you on a Pokewalk, head through to the source link below for more information.