When you 'pet' dogs in this mobile game, you provide food and vet care to real-life shelter animals this holiday season

A screen capture from the phone game Hay Day, where a burly farmer is petting cartoon dogs.

In the mobile game “Hay Day,” players can build farms and barns, fish, and raise crops — similar to cozy games like “Stardew Valley” and “Animal Crossing.” 

And from December 15 through December 24, users can also find and pet (or rather, tap) virtual huskies and Alaskan Malamutes to support real-world rescue animals. 

During the nine-day event, in-game achievements will translate to helping animals at Muddy Paws Rescue in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen. 

“Partnering with Hay Day this holiday season allows us to reach millions of animal lovers in a new and meaningful way,” Rachael Ziering, the founding executive director of Muddy Paws Rescue, said in a press release. 

“This ‘Home for the Howlidays’ campaign will not only help us provide vital resources to our pups like food, vet care, and foster kits — it goes one step even further in educating players about the importance of fostering and finding the right homes for pups in need.”

Supercell — which also created the mobile game Clash of Clans — first released Hay Day in 2012. 

A beagle puppy lays among ornaments and blankets with a blue background
Image via Muddy Paws Rescue

The farming simulation made headlines in early 2025 when the platform did a crossover event with Gordon Ramsay. But this isn’t their first foray into charitable giving.  

In November, Hay Day raised 200,000 meals for families in need through the UN World Food Programme’s ShareTheMeal fundraiser by challenging users to hunt virtual ghosts during their Hay Day Harvest event. 

Deborah Mensah-Bonsu, the social impact partner at Supercell, said that the Home for the Howlidays event was the company’s latest way of bringing “Hay Day’s strong sense of community to life.”

“We love our stress-free farming utopia, and together with our players, we get to extend a bit of that harmony and care into the world around us,” Mensah-Bonsu said. 

To support Muddy Paws Rescue directly, you can visit their website

You may also like: This cozy game replaces doom-scrolling with ocean exploring. Every creature you spot trains underwater robots in real time

Header image via Hay Day / Supercell

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