Purrch, the World's First Pet-First Social Media App, Leans into Booming Pet Space

NEW YORK, May 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the United States alone, 67% of households own a pet, or roughly 85 million families. Many of these pet owners are deeply passionate about their furry, feathered, and scaly animal companions as evidenced by their spending—a record-high of $99 billion in 2020 alone—and also in their desire to connect with fellow pet lovers.

At the same time the pet industry is expanding at exponential levels, traditional social media is reconfiguring itself. More than ever before, we're seeing a notable exodus from larger platforms and a blossoming of breakout apps that cater to specific niches. For example, Nextdoor was built for neighbors, Peanut for women attaining motherhood, Strava for athletes, and Fishbrain for anglers, to name a few.

The purrch app (available on Apple devices) finds itself at the intersection of these two massive shifts. The first pet social media app is dedicated to enhancing this flourishing pet space by serving as the leading destination for members of the online pet community to meet, learn, experience, and discover. From forging new friendships to helping pets find their forever homes, below are a few real-world examples of the way purrch is doing all the above.

Forging Friendships Among Pet Enthusiasts (and their Pets)

It's only natural to vibe with others who have similar interests to you, and the purrch app makes this particularly easy. Not only does it connect you with an entire network of fellow pet parents and enthusiasts, but it also delivers a highly tailored newsfeed to every user. For example, if you have a naughty, misbehaved puppy or a senior pet with diabetes, you'll encounter other naughty, misbehaved puppies or senior pets with diabetes, too!

One heart-warming example of this is the friendship developed between Ollie, an adorable cavapoo, and Jack, a west-highland white terrier.

"I had been using the app to document and share the life of my dog Ollie, and in the process ended up connecting with a nearby pet parent to this adorable white terrier," recalls Andrew, an early adopter of the app. "Since both of our dogs were of similar build, energy and personality, I thought they might socialize really well together, so we have been doing in-world playdates at the doggy park. These meetups have been great for Ollie and Jack, and I've enjoyed having a good friend, as well."

Delivering a Wag-Happy Space for Like-Minded People

Sometimes your brain just needs a break from the news cycle and divisive posts that can pop up on other parts of the internet. The very nature of purrch—a social sanctuary filled with compassionate, like-minded people and their very cute animal companions—makes it an organic, happy reprieve.

Cat lovers, dog lovers, bird lovers, and beyond have their own pet-focused safe haven to share cute animal pictures, cute pet videos, trials, tribulations, pet advice, and more.

Supporting Pet Fostering and Adoptions

Purrch places the focus squarely on pets. When you sign up, you're creating a profile for your pet(s). This pet social network is a unique spin on traditional social media, but it also opens the door to more authentic foster and animal rescue scenarios.

For example, pet parents who are fostering a pet can create and maintain an up-to-date profile for their foster animal. This allows the eventual owner to really get to know the foster pet, ensuring a better fit. Similarly, rescue organizations use the app to create profiles for the pets in their care. Once that pet is formally adopted, ownership of the account is transferred.

Aries, an abandoned Siberian husky mix in Chicago, was recently discovered and adopted through the app. Originally under the care of a foster family for Alive Rescue (a purrch partner organization), Aries' profile led to him finding his forever home. It's all documented on the app, too! 

Driving Organic Discovery of New Brands

We alluded to the booming business of pets early. With spending at nearly $100 billion per year, pet people are eager to learn about and recommend their favorite pet products and services. The purrch app not only streamlines this process, but it does so in a friend-to-friend way versus inundating its users with advertisements.

For instance, Fritz's human mom, Kerry, recently discovered Town & Trail dog treats on the app. Fritz is a very picky eater, so when she came across the recommendation from a fellow purrch user who also owns a pup who's particular about their food, she had to give them a try. She says, "My dog who is the pickiest eater around is obsessed with these air-dried beef treats, and I really love that they're made by an emerging, up and coming brand with health-conscious priorities."

These are only a few ways purrchers are enjoying this pet-first social sanctuary. Want to know more? Download the purrch app, and learn more about the founders and purrch's mission.

CONTACT: Shannon Lorraine, [email protected]  

SOURCE purrch