ResQWalk App | Raise Funds for Your Favourite Rescue Organization!
Note: Effective September 2023 the ResQWalk App has been discontinued and is no longer available for download. An alternative worth exploring is the WoofTrax App!
It’s National Walk Your Dog Week (October 1st – 7th), a healthy holiday focused on encouraging dog owners everywhere to get out and get moving with their canine pals. This year, I challenge you to take your celebrations to the next level and raise funds for your favourite shelter or rescue organization using the ResQWalk app!
Are you looking for a good excuse to get out and get moving with your pup?
Trying to lose weight but struggling for motivation to keep yourself active?
If so, today’s post has the solution!
In an effort to draw attention to the growing problem of canine obesity, Pet Lifestyle Expert Colleen Paige founded National Walk Your Dog Week in 2010.
Experts estimate that approximately 25-30% of dogs are obese, a percentage that climbs as high as 45% among those aged 5-11 years old.
Dog Obesity: The condition in which a dog weighs 20% or more above their ideal healthy body weight.
Obesity can lead to serious medical problems and can significantly shorten your dog’s lifespan.
It has been associated with:
- Many Types of Cancer
- Heart Disease
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Arthritis and Rapid Joint Degeneration
- Urinary Bladder Stones
- Decreased Heat Tolerance/Increased Risk of Heat Stroke
Among other conditions.
Unsure if your dog is overweight or obese? Check out this great guide from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention!
Related: ‘14 Ways to Help Your Local Shelter or Rescue Organization Without Adopting‘
What can you do to keep your dog happy and healthy?
Walking your dog for at least 30 minutes each day can have a positive impact on both you and your dog!
It encourages physical activity and also provides a great bonding opportunity.
However, today I’m challenging you to take it a step further.
In addition to getting out and moving with your dog each day, I encourage each of you to download and use the ResQWalk app by Best Friends Animal Society.
NOTE: This post is NOT sponsored or affiliated with ResQWalk or the Best Friends Animal Society. All opinions shared are my own.
This is an app that I personally use with a cause that I feel strongly about.
What is the ResQWalk App?
The ResQWalk app is a FREE mobile app available for download in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
You simply open the app, select the organization that you are interested in walking for and hit ‘Start’.
Using GPS technology, your walk will be tracked and recorded.
The longer you walk, the more money you will earn for your organization of choice.
This isn’t exclusive to walking your dog either!
The app can be used for walking, running or biking, as long as you are moving at a speed of less than 14 miles per hour (approximately 22.5 kilometers per hour).
You must be moving/changing location (no treadmills or stationary bikes) and there must be a reliable GPS signal.
The app also allows you to set distance goals each week, encouraging you to keep moving and adding to your total.
After all, we all need that little push from time to time. Right?
Related: ‘12 Surprising Autumn Dangers for Dogs Every Dog Parent Should Know‘
Where Does the Money Come into the Equation?
Okay, you’re probably thinking that all sounds great, but where does the money come in?
The Best Friends Animal Society has teamed up with a group of corporate sponsors, providing them with a monthly pool to divide among their ResQWalk partners.
The money is divided based on how many total miles each organization has accumulated.
Do you see a local organization on the list that you would like to help?
Send this post to your friends and family, encouraging them to also download the app! The more you all walk, the more of the pot that the organization will be eligible to receive.
Is your local organization of choice not listed?
ResQWalk is open to any registered charity animal welfare organizations that meet their qualifications.
For more information about becoming a rescue partner, have the organization contact resqwalk@bestfriends.org.
The bottom line? Download the ResQWalk app, get moving and make a difference today!
How are you celebrating National Walk Your Dog Week?
Dogs just need the same amount of exercise as humans do. Plus its what makes them happy and they get to interact with other dogs when going out for walks.
Great post
Exactly! Walks are important for dogs. That’s why they tend to get so excited about heading out.
This is a great idea to get fit with your pet dog. It’s important for pets to exercise as well xx
It is SO important!
I’ve never heard of ResQWalk before but it’s such a good idea! xx
I love that it makes it so easy for people to make a difference.
Oh, wow that is pretty cool about the app, I’ve never heard of resqwalk about this blog post before. I really love what it seems like they stand for. I also didn’t know that this week was walk your dog week either. 🙂
Isn’t it great? I just started using it last year, but I love knowing that our walks not only mean we are getting out and active, but also that we’re helping raise funds for rescue animals in need.
Great idea! I love how the app raises money while we’re out walking! Win-win!
Yes! We’re out walking the pups anyway – so why not help out a local rescue at the same time?
What a lovely idea that both motivates dog owners to walk their pet and helps great causes as well. This is an innovative app! I really love this idea and will forward this post along to my dog owner friends.
We have been using it religiously on our walks since discovering it!
Wow, what an incredible app! I’ve never heard of ResQWalk before, but it sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing x
Isn’t it great? Such an easy way to help make a difference!
I didn’t realise the obesity rate in dogs was so high. This is definitely a great initiative to raise money while giving your dog the exercise that they need to stay healthy.
It’s shocking, isn’t it? I think it’s an extension of the rising obesity rates in people today. Our society is lazier and so we’re encouraging our dogs to be lazy.
You had me at “I am challenging you to take a step further.” Absolutely. Thank you for raising awareness about this amazing app. Downloading as we speak.
I have fallen completely in love with the fact that I can make a difference while just getting out with our dogs. Walks made me smile to begin with but they are even better with this app!
this app seams absolutely awesome to me! It’s a great idea and great motivation to walk with dogs more and also make charity.
I am completely hooked on it. I get excited to pull it up every time that we get ready to go for a walk. It brings a smile to my face knowing that we can make a difference while getting out and moving.
I love this! Walking, and getting outdoors with your dog has so many positive benefits. Not to mention it is an opportunity to bond more, and to explore new places together. I think that it is also great that there is an app with such a wonderful outlook. Thank you for sharing this!
Yes, it’s 110% worth making it part of your day for SO many reasons, isn’t it? I look forward to walk time with our two.
What a cool idea to help you get fit while walking your pet!
Rosie
It’s a great way to help make a difference for free!
Hi Britt. What a fantastic idea for an app – some people are very resourceful aren’t they? And maintaining your dog’s weight at a healthy level is vital for any dog that is suffering from arthritis – the less strain on those arthritic joints, the better.
Definitely! I am a firm believer that Dav’s high activity level is one of the factors that she’s a 12-year-old German Shepherd that continues to run around my back yard as if she’s still a puppy.
The statistics on dog obesity are so shocking! So many poor dogs and their ignorant/ unaware owners!
ResQWalk sounds wonderful – get your exercise in, while supporting a good cause.
It’s sad, really. However, we’re seeing the obesity rate among people in many countries skyrocket as well, so I suppose that we shouldn’t be surprised.
Great idea! How amazing that you can work to become more active while at the same time helping to support an important charity. I didn’t know that dog obesity was so prevalent, although I was aware that it can be an issue.
Isn’t it the perfect combination? I love that it’s a win/win for everyone!
I can’t wait to have a dog in my life! This is a great post!
Thank you!
I had to stop halfway through this post to check and see if my favorite charity (K9s For Warriors) was available to support through this app, and it is! Which means that I am downloading the app as I write this, and I will have my husband do so when he gets home. He walks a LOT for his jobs, and this will be a perfect app for him! We already donate a portion of my business profits to veteran related charities, but this just gets me even more excited to continue that! Thank you so much for this post, Britt!
I’m so glad to hear that you were able to find the charity that means so much to you on there! I love that we can help raise money by doing something that we’re already doing (going for walks with our pups or even on our own). It’s such an easy way to make a difference!
This sounds like such a great opportunity for dog owners. I haven’t heard of an app like that before, but it’s such a great one and supporting an amazing cost. I’m so glad there are people like you to spread the word about this amazing event taking place.
I LOVE using it when we head out on our walks. Knowing that I’m able to help make a difference for rescue pets in the area makes the walk even more fun!
What a cool app! Basically, all we’ve been doing since the pandemic is walking at parks (and now through random neighborhoods to show my kid the Halloween decorations for a change of pace). I’ll have to check that out. Thanks for sharing!
We’ve been doing A LOT more walking around our neighbourhood this year as well. With the inability to travel as much, it at least gives us a chance to head outside.