Spring Sault
In 2007, the Houston Chronicle ran a story about a local resident looking for two lost dogs. She had begun sharing her own posters regarding the two family pets around her neighborhood when she came across a website called Fido Finder. The site provided free options for customized posters after registering the dogs, as well as alerts to registered users when dogs of matching descriptions are added to the website. Fast forward 10 years, and the FidoFinder.com website was recognized for helping reunite more than 900 lost pets with their families. Now, in 2020, the site continues its work with more than 514K dogs registered, and more than 525K people registered for their neighborhood watch service.
Now including a mobile app, services that help people register pets that are found, partnerships with local animal shelters, and even a lost cat program called Tabby Tracker, this Texas-based company has grown in leaps and bounds. They even share statistics on the breeds they most commonly see listed. According to the site, Chihuahuas are found to be the breed of dog that is most reported as missing. Other breeds, including Terriers, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, and Labrador Retrievers, were found to be in the top 10 of the dog breeds most likely to be reported as lost.
Photo: @3dogs via Twenty20
The Fido Finder website also makes note of some of the most popular breeds that aren’t typically seen on the list of missing dogs. More noticeably, Bulldogs, Golden Retrievers, and Beagles were identified, leading to the thought that a correlation exists between the type of breed a dog is and its obedience level. Having connected lost pets with their owners since 2004, Fido Finder uses a classified listing structure in addition to a notification system. Similarly, the site continues to grow in its work to partner with local shelters in efforts to have missing animals registered that they may be holding.
When natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey struck Texas, this website and many like it became valuable tools for owners who were separated from their family pets. Millions of people were temporarily displaced, which resulted in a growing need for such services in the search for their beloved animals. Likewise, with the 2020 hurricane season upon us, this site will continue its positive efforts in an area that wasn’t typically well-met in the electronic field, where now its app and services work to reunite those who need them most. If you or someone you know is missing a family pet, or if you have found an animal that you believe to be missing, visit the Fido Finder website at the link available here. You never know the difference it could make!
