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App turns walking into food donations for rescued pets

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A new app called Dosty Walks allows users to convert their daily steps into digital currency, which can then be donated as food for rescued animals.
  • The platform partners with native smartphone health tools to track steps, with 1,000 steps generating enough digital currency to donate 1 kilogram of food to shelters.
  • Launched in Venezuela and Mexico, the app aims to support animal shelters facing financial challenges, especially after recent earthquakes in Venezuela led to an increase in lost and rescued pets.

A groundbreaking app is transforming the simple act of walking into a lifeline for rescued animals, offering a novel solution to the immense financial strain faced by shelters. In Venezuela, where recent earthquakes have displaced thousands and intensified the search for lost pets, the Dosty Walks platform provides a crucial tool to convert daily movement into direct aid.

pet care doesn't start with a pet. It starts with empathy.

— Ayaz AhmadovThe founder explains the core philosophy behind the Dosty Walks app.

Created by Azerbaijani entrepreneur Ayaz Ahmadov in June 2026, Dosty Walks operates on a philosophy of empathy, believing that compassion for animals extends beyond pet ownership. The app connects with smartphone health trackers like Apple Health and Google Fit to record users' steps. For every 1,000 steps taken, users earn digital currency, and accumulating 1,000 of these digital units translates into a donation of 1 kilogram of food to animal shelters.

Latin America is going in that direction. So it is a great market to test this new product.

— Ayaz AhmadovThe founder discusses the choice of Latin America as a key expansion market.

Latin America has been chosen as the primary expansion market for the second half of 2026, with Venezuela and Mexico leading the charge. Ahmadov highlighted the region's receptiveness to such innovative products. He emphasized that users do not need to alter their routines, stating, “You don’t need any additional effort. You can donate your steps and someone will receive food.”

You don’t need any additional effort. You can donate your steps and someone will receive food.

— Ayaz AhmadovThe creator explains the ease of use for users contributing to the cause.

During its initial launch in Azerbaijan, Dosty Walks saw rapid adoption, with over 1,600 registered users in just a few weeks and a projection to donate more than 1,500 kilograms of food. The platform ensures transparency through photographic and video evidence of donations, regardless of whether community goals are met. A $2 monthly subscription offers users discounts at associated businesses, creating a dual benefit of personal savings and unconditional support for shelters.

That unifying factor is where the magic happens, simply giving yourself

— Ayaz AhmadovThe creator highlights the unifying impact of the app's technology.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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