Is it just a viral participation trend that doesn't really do any harm but doesn't really do any good (let's face it, it's highly likely no one will plant a tree because you posted a photo of your pet online - although please, by all means, continue to share photos of your pet)?
It's been a few hours and the mystery continues.
A number of websites have also, in the last few hours, tried to do what we're doing right now, which is trying to get to the bottom of this viral trend.
Searching for the trend on Google will lead you to a number of weird YouTube links that, rather than explain what the fresh heck is going on, simply tell you how to upload a photo of your pet using the sticker. In the comments for those videos, as well as across social media, thousands of people ask the same thing: what is going on? Who started this? Who's planting these trees?
The answer to the first two questions is a bit too metaphysical for this time of the day but as for "who's planting these trees" the answer is very likely quite simple: no one.
If a corporation was behind something like this, they'd want to get all the publicity they could get for it. Let's face it: it does not get more wholesome than pet photos and tree planting so who would not want to claim credit for that, if it were true.
So, the mystery remains. Will anyone be planting those trees? Highly unlikely. The trend is probably just a viral participation thing and there will not be a forest of millions of trees planted because you shared a photo of your pet.
However, please do not let that stop you from sharing your animal's sweet, sweet face. We're in the middle of a pandemic, this article will sit alongside a heap of bad news today, we need all the pet photos we can get just to help us get through today.
The Herald contacted Instagram to ask for details on what exactly is going on but is still waiting to hear back.
