Turn Dog Walks Into Fundraising for Your Shelter
The free fundraising platform for animal shelters and rescues. Launch a virtual dog walk challenge and turn everyday walks into donations — no cost, no tech setup.
Start Your Challenge FreeHow Animal Shelter Fundraising Works
Completely free for animal shelters—no setup cost, no platform fees. Challenge Hound only takes a small fee from participant entry payments, so your shelter keeps the rest.
Free Setup
Create challenge, set your entry fee, and add your branding -- all at no cost to your organization.
Invite Participants
Share your link with supporters. People join from anywhere.
Track Progress
Walks and workouts sync instantly from any device -- no data entry needed.
Cheer Each Other On
Built-in feed, messaging, and photo sharing keep supporters active and engaged.
Everything Your Shelter Gets — Free
- Branded challenge page
- Automatic activity tracking
- Live leaderboards
- Photo sharing + community feed
- Challenge admin tools
- Exportable reports
- Android and iOS mobile app support
Real Results: Miles for Mutts
Phoenix-based Almost There Rescue transformed everyday dog walks into a fundraising powerhouse. Each November, their Miles for Mutts Challenge gets participants moving, sharing photos, and raising vital funds—while spotlighting adoptable pets to a highly engaged audience.
"Challenge Hound made fundraising effortless. Our community loved it, and we raised over $5,000 without any upfront cost. We started off with one challenge and now run several every year."
Why Virtual Dog Walk Challenges Work for Shelters & Rescues
Animal Shelter Fundraising FAQs
How do animal shelters raise money with Challenge Hound?
Your shelter hosts a virtual dog walk challenge. Supporters pay an entry fee to join, then log walks and workouts from anywhere. Your organization keeps the entry revenue minus a small per-entry processing fee — turning everyday dog walks into ongoing fundraising.
Is Challenge Hound really free for animal shelters and rescues?
Yes. There's no setup cost, subscription, or platform fee. Challenge Hound only takes a small fee ($2 + 3.5%) from each participant's entry payment, so your shelter keeps the rest.
What is a virtual dog walk challenge?
It's a fundraiser where participants commit to walking a set distance — or as many miles as they can — over days or weeks, with progress tracked automatically from their phone or fitness device. Because it's virtual, supporters can join from anywhere with no event venue required.
How is this different from a traditional walkathon or peer-to-peer fundraiser?
There's no event day to plan, no venue to rent, and no manual pledge tracking. Activity syncs automatically, leaderboards update in real time, and the built-in feed keeps supporters engaged for the entire challenge — not just a single afternoon.
How do participants track their walks?
Walks and workouts sync automatically from Apple Health, Fitbit, Garmin, Strava and more, or directly from the Challenge Hound iOS and Android apps. No spreadsheets or manual data entry.
How quickly can my shelter launch a fundraising challenge?
Most shelters set up a branded challenge in minutes — add your logo, set an entry fee, and share your link. No technical skills or IT support required.
Ready to Get Started?
Launch your first challenge in minutes—no cost, no risk, no technical skills required
Create Your Free Challenge