A leading animal charity has launched a digital game in the hope that it will educate potential pet owners on the needs of their real-life furry friends.

MobiDog has been launched by the RSPCA in a bid to promote the needs of pets and encourage owners to care properly for their animals.

The game can be played on a mobile phone and is a follow-up to a previous RSPCA project called the cyberpet which was aimed at computer users.

Helen Ball, campaigner for RSPCA, revealed that the charity hopes the game will be an effective educational tool.

"MobiDog is interactive, playful and educational, with a competitive slant which we hope will help get the message about looking after pets properly to a young audience," she said.

"The main aim is to convey, in an entertaining way, an animal's prime welfare needs."

Players of the game have to ensure that they provide the digital pet with warmth, food, exercise, and entertainment while keeping the animal free from fleas.