If you love both animals and playing phone games, and you want to help shelter dogs, you should check out the Treat game. Treat is different from the mindless phone games you play when you need a break from life — it has real-world benefits for dogs in animal shelters.
Treat, which came out in 2024, partners with animal shelters to match any virtual items that users earn in the game with real supplies for shelter dogs. Every time you play with your virtual dog on Treat, you work towards helping animal shelters get the resources they need to help their pets. The app’s real-world impact is undeniable — news outlets have covered just how much Treat players help local shelters thrive.
When you start playing Treat, you choose a real shelter dog and receive a corresponding virtual dog on the app. As you play with your virtual dog, you earn real items, like dog treats, dog food, and medical supplies for shelters. (Treat uses the Chewy service to send these items to your dog’s shelter.) You’ll also receive a notification when someone adopts your “real” shelter dog. After your dog finds a forever home, you can choose a new rescue dog to support.
The game is incredibly easy to play, which is why I’ve spent so much time on the Treat app recently.
It’s a great way to pass time. One of my rescue dogs on the app was recently adopted too, which is exciting! Seeing your dogs find their forever homes is the end goal of the game, and you’ll feel emotional knowing that “your” dog now lives in a safe, happy home.
We spend so much time on our phones that we might as well make a difference instead of scrolling.
Treat is one of the only apps that sparks real change, but there should be far more. Apps like Treat and Free Rice broke new ground with games that change others’ lives for the better, but there are so many other ways that apps could affect change. Imagine how impactful we could all be if similar apps allowed us to help people (and their pets) access medical care, clean water, and hygiene products.
If you love dogs, own a dog, or wish you could own a dog but still want to make a difference, Treat will become your new favorite app. You’ll give to your furry friends in a fun way, and once you earn your first box of treats for a shelter, you may even feel less guilty about your phone time. You’ll also get to connect with dogs, and they’ll begin to feel like “yours,” even though you’ve never met them.
So what are you waiting for? Download Treat today, and start making a difference for shelter dogs. Changing a dog’s life has never been easier and more fun. You certainly won’t regret playing Treat!
Featured Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash.
