Decentraland goes to the dogs as Pedigree brings canine adoption to the metaverse

Quick Take

  • Pet food company Pedigree has created a program called the Fosterverse, which allows Decentraland property owners to “foster” digital versions of real-life rescue dogs.
  • The program aims to drive dog adoption and end pet homelessness.

You can now foster a real-life dog in the metaverse. 

Pet food company Pedigree unveiled the Fosterverse, a new program that allows real-life rescue dogs to be virtually fostered in Decentraland. Property owners in the virtual world, of which there are less than 8,000, will be able upload 3D avatars based on real dogs that are up for adoption. 

Landowners will then be able to place the dogs on their lots in Decentraland and should you come across one, you can chat with and adopt the real rescue dog the avatar represents or donate real-life money to the Pedigree Foundation to help similar dogs in need, though not necessarily the virtual dog you interacted with.

"As the first brand to bring adoptable dogs to the metaverse, we are proud to be at the forefront of this new virtual reality, supporting our ambition to end pet homelessness," said Jean-Paul Jansen, vice president of marketing for Mars Petcare North America, Pedigree's parent company.

THE SCOOP

Keep up with the latest news, trends, charts and views on crypto and DeFi with a new biweekly newsletter from The Block's Frank Chaparro

By signing-up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
By signing-up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

The announcement is the latest attempt by corporations and other groups to boost their marketing with metaverse integrations: Oreo recently launched the Oreoverse and Hyundai offers a "Mobility Adventure" on Roblox.  

Last year, frozen food firm McCain’s launched a potato farming game that teaches children about regenerative farming. Earlier this month, the World Economic Forum launched its global collaboration village, where its says organizations can take action on the world's most pressing challenges.


© 2023 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

About Author

Callan Quinn is an NFT, gaming and metaverse reporter. She started her career working for the expat magazine City Weekend in Guangzhou, China. She also has worked as a business journalist in the UK, Somaliland and the republic of Georgia. Before joining The Block, she was a freelance journalist covering the Chinese tech industry. She speaks Mandarin, French and German. Get in touch via Twitter @quinnishvili or email [email protected].

Editor

To contact the editors of this story:
Christiana Loureiro at
[email protected]
Larry DiTore at
[email protected]