Today Dogs Trust and Nintendo have partnered on an innovative new education initiative which is being launched today by Girls Aloud.

The pilot scheme will build upon the Dogs Trust’s existing educational programme within schools, aimed at teaching children the responsibilities involved in caring for a dog, taught through the use of Nintendogs, a Nintendo DS game focussed on nurturing and caring for a virtual dog.

The initiative, which is initially being piloted in the London area, sees Nintendo donating Nintendo DS consoles and copies of Nintendogs to Dogs Trust for use in their educational outreach programme. The pilot provides Dogs Trust with an innovative and exciting way of engaging children through technology, alongside their existing education programme.

Thousands of dogs are abandoned and destroyed in the UK every year and are desperately in need of a loving home. Dogs Trust believes that the responsible dog ownership message behind Nintendogs may encourage young dog lovers to consider the commitment required in owning a real dog, before undertaking such a responsibility. Hopefully in the long term this will help minimise the number of abandoned dogs looking for a new family.

Natalie Dexter, Education Officer at Dogs Trust, said “Our education programme targets the dog owners of tomorrow about responsible dog ownership and we’re always looking for new and innovative ways of spreading our message within schools. We’re delighted to partner with Nintendo on such an innovative scheme which captures the essence of our message about responsible dog ownership, in an exciting and fun way that will inspire and educate children.”

Girls Aloud, who are currently starring in the Nintendo DS advertising campaign and dog owners themselves, are supporting the scheme by visiting a dog re-homing centre in London to see the work that goes on behind the scenes each day at Dogs Trust, where they will also be meeting children from a local primary school who will benefit from the initiative.

Girls Aloud commented: “We are all dog lovers ourselves so are fully supportive of this scheme which teaches kids what looking after a dog really involves.” Nadine added, “I love my Nintendog ‘Miso’; I can feed him, take him for walks and play with him every day, it’s just like having a real dog in my hand.”

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