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Call For Pokémon Goers To Go Walk Dogs At Springfield Shelter

c/o APL

There's good news for shelter dogs in the central Illinois region thanks to the latest trend in virtual gaming. Pokémon Go seems to have become an obsession for thousands of people – regardless of their age or background. It's been downloaded over 7 million times. The game works on smart-phones and users are able to find the colorful, animated figures in actual, real-life locations around the world.

The trend has been lauded for getting gamers off the couch, but also condemned for causing more people on the street to have their face in a phone. In Springfield, the Animal Protective League has found a way to make the game beneficial for the dogs they shelter – they are asking Pokémon Go players to take them on walks while they are on the hunt for the virtual creatures. Debbie Bonner is with the APL, she spoke with Rachel Otwell about the idea:

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Rachel Otwell of the Illinois Times is a former NPR Illinois reporter.
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