Finding Fido 🐶🐱

Today, I'm thinking about the apps and technology we use to find our pets when they stray. Yes, that's right. My beloved cat Hammy is missing. 

Fortunately, much as there has been progress in autonomous vehicles and biological carbon capture, there has also been progress in the way we find our furry best friends. Over 90.5MM people own pets in the U.S., a number that has increased significantly during the pandemic, leading to consistent spending while other pandemic darlings like Peloton are down.

What to do when you lose your fur baby
First, take a good hard look at your immediate surroundings. Under decks, in cabinets, and within nearby bushes. The animal won't always respond to calls or make any noises as it is scared and using its survival skills. You can help the animal find its way back by putting out food and water, leaving behind items that smell like you, and opening a door or window, even overnight. If the animal is micro-chipped, alert the company (I use HomeAgain).

Second, spread the word. In addition to bright, eye-catching signs around the neighborhood and knocking on your neighbors' doors, take advantage of local messaging boards like NextDoor. NextDoor is a public company that rose to popularity as a way to reach neighbors, share helpful information (sometimes rants), and post missing or found animals. Facebook has Lost and Found groups for many neighborhoods and sites like Pawboost will help you reach thousands of eyes with paid posts.

Now if only I had attached an Airtag to Hammy's collar, something the company adamantly doesn't want you to do. I might not be considering the $1,200 fee for a real-life pet detective to search the area with highly trained Bloodhounds.

As for when Hammy does return home (🤞), you better believe I'll be spoiling him like the millions of other millennials, contributing to the $123.6BN in annual pet spending.

For more pet-related companies, search the keyword: pet.