As a self-described dog lover, you love not only your own beloved pooches but pretty much every other dog in the world. If you could, you’d adopt dozens of doggies from your local animal shelters and give them the awesome and loving lives they deserve. While you can’t necessarily afford to adopt an unlimited number of dogs, there is a free and fun way to help the shelters that take great care of homeless dogs and find them loving homes—and it’s all courtesy of an organization called WoofTrax and their Walk for a Dog app.

What Is WoofTrax?

WoofTrax helps to create fundraising opportunities that will benefit local shelters and rescue groups, especially through their Walk for a Dog app. This app encourages dog parents to get out with their four-legged friends and go for walks. Every walk you take with your dog helps to support a local animal organization of your choice. And, as a bonus, it helps both you and your dog get some exercise and be healthier.

You can install this app on Android phones through the Google Play store or iOS devices through iTunes for free. Then, you can browse through the shelters and rescue groups, and select the one that you want to help through your daily walks. And, if you decide to help a different location along the way, you can always change your selection.

How It Works

Using the Walk for a Dog app is easy. After downloading it onto your phone, just press the “Start Walking For . . . ” button and it will automatically track the walk and credit the rescue or organization you chose. As a bonus, you don’t have to walk for a certain distance in order for it to count—a quick trot to the corner so Buster can do his business will matter just as much as a long and leisurely hour-long walk. The donations are funded by sponsorships, investors and advertising, so it does not cost you anything to help out your local animal shelter.

So you can see how your walks are contributing to your chosen shelter, WoofTrax sends out emails and posts on their Facebook and other social media pages when they make a donation. For example, in December 2014, they are sending donations to more than 4,000 shelters and rescue groups, exclaims their website. And, as iTunes notes, the amount of money that is given to a particular shelter or organization is dependent upon how many people and dogs are walking for it.

What About Non-Dog People?

Another perk for the Walk for a Dog app is that you don’t actually have to own a dog to use it. This means you can encourage your poochless friends to still use the app to walk for dogs who are currently at a local shelter or rescue group. Just ask them to select the “Walk for Cassie” choice after installing the app, which will let them help homeless dogs when they go for a walk on their own.

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