Free and Fast Photo-Matching AI Technology Can Help Reunite Pets with Their Families During and After Natural Disasters

 National Lost and Found Pet Database, Love Lost, a Critical Resource After Hurricane Helene

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In times of crisis, when natural disasters strike, the bond between pets and their families can be shattered in an instant. National nonprofit Petco Love urges people desperately searching for missing pets during and after Hurricane Helene to use its free Love Lost national database to search with just one photo of their pet powered by AI technology.

Neighbors can directly help each other in disaster areas reunite lost pets with the families that love them utilizing Love Lost. This is especially crucial when overwhelmed animal shelters and rescues in the path of the devastation are working tirelessly rescuing and caring for pets during disasters.

Every year, millions of pets are displaced due to hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other emergencies. Love Lost aims to bridge the gap between lost pets and their worried families by providing a comprehensive, user-friendly online resource for reporting and searching for lost pets. This extensive national database can help locate displaced pets who may unintentionally end up in different counties or states.

Key Features of Love Lost Include:

• Free and simple search: Pet parents and finders of lost pets can quickly search for lost/found pets with just one photo.
• Robust Alerts: Love Lost will search its database for you and send alerts of possible matches via SMS or email. 
• Community Collaboration: Local shelters and rescue organizations (3,000 to date), and community platforms like Nextdoor and Neighbors integrate with Love Lost, creating a collaborative environment for reuniting families.

"Every pet is a beloved member of the family, and during a disaster, the uncertainty can be overwhelming," said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. "Love Lost is designed to give families hope and the tools they need to find their pets. Love Lost leverages technology and community support to ensure that pets and their families can be reunited quickly. Petco Love is also committing up to $1 million in funding to its animal welfare partners impacted by the deadly storms in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky."

Pet parents can register their safe-at-home pets in the database here. Love Lost can help people in almost any language and provides privacy for those who use it. The database has reunited nearly 60,000 pet parents across the U.S. with their best friends.

Petco Love is also coordinating its response with other national organizations that are part of NARSC (National Animal Rescue & Sheltering Coalition). Animal welfare organizations impacted by disasters may seek support from Petco Love using the "Apply Now" link on this page.

Media Contact: Crystal Bugary, Petco Love, [email protected]

About Petco Love
Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since our founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, we've empowered animal welfare organizations by investing nearly $400 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We've helped find loving homes for more than 6.9 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide. Our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating tools animal lovers need to reunite lost pets, and lead with passion, inspiring and mobilizing communities and our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us. Is love calling you? Join us. Visit Petco Love or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, and LinkedIn to be part of the lifesaving work we lead every day.

SOURCE Petco Love