The Saturdays helped kick-off a campaign launched by The Dogs Trust and Nintendo to highlight how many 'fashion dogs' are dumped at rehoming centres each year.

The 'A dog is not a toy’ campaign wants to highlight how the trend of carrying little dogs around in handbags has resulted in a 28% rise in the number of fashion dogs handed into its rehoming centres in the last five years. 

Dogs Trust education officers will use Nintendo 3DS consoles and copies of the game nintendogs^TM + cats as part of school workshops which teach children about responsible dog ownership. 

Using the game, children will have the chance to choose their own virtual 3D puppy, and then learn to exercise, feed, groom and give it attention.  The consoles will be used as a fun and engaging way test children’s’ knowledge of what they have learnt in the workshops and be especially useful when education officers are unable to take a real dog into school.

The initiative has been backed by girl band, The Saturdays who will feature in a joint Nintendo and Dogs Trust television advert.

The Saturdays, who are dog owners themselves, said: “We all love our own dogs, but as this initiative highlights, ‘A dog is not a toy’ so we’re proud to be spreading this message. We fully support this Dogs Trust scheme as it uses nintendogs^TM + cats to provide a fun way to help kids learn how to care for and respect dogs.”

In addition to the education programme in schools, Dogs Trust and Nintendo are also launching a Junior Canine Carer competition.  This national initiative gives five youngsters who are passionate about dogs the chance to go behind the scenes at a busy Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre and be a part of the charity’s Canine Carer team for a day.  The lucky winners will each win a Nintendo 3DS console and nintendogs^TM + cats game. For more information please visit www.dogstrustJCC.org.uk.