DELAWARE - The First State is adopting an artificial intelligence-powered national database as its statewide platform for reporting lost and found pets.
The Delaware Division of Public Health’s Office of Animal Welfare announced Thursday that it is partnering with Petco Love Lost, a free nationwide lost-and-found pet database operated by the nonprofit.
Petco Love Lost uses AI photo-matching technology to compare pictures of missing animals with photos of found pets. People who lose or find a pet can upload a photo and search for potential matches reported by nearby shelters or other people in the community.
People in Delaware who have lost or found a pet can use Petco Love Lost to submit a report, upload photos and search for possible matches. Information is also available through Delaware Animal Services.
Pet owners can upload photos of their animals to Petco Love Lost before they go missing. If a pet later disappears, those saved photos can be used to create a lost-pet report more quickly.
According to Petco Love, its database has helped reunite more than 250,000 lost pets with their families.
“Reuniting lost pets with their families as quickly as possible is one of the most important parts of animal welfare work,” said Christina Motoyoshi, OAW executive director. “By moving to Petco Love Lost, Delaware is modernizing the way lost and found pets are reported and identified while giving shelters and residents access to innovative tools that improve reunification efforts statewide.”
Petco Love President Chelsea Staley said the organization estimates one in three pets will go missing during their lifetime, amounting to about 10 million pets each year.
"We’re thrilled that Delaware is further prioritizing lost pet reunification. This transition to reporting through Petco Love Lost will benefit shelters and pet families across the state," said Staley.
The new system replaces Delaware’s statewide Lost and Found Pet Registry, which Delaware Animal Services launched in 2016. The registry was designed to consolidate lost-pet information that had previously been spread across websites and social media pages.
Delaware requires brick-and-mortar animal shelters to post lost pets that come into their care to the statewide registry within 24 hours. The Office of Animal Welfare said transitioning to Petco Love Lost will support those existing requirements while providing access to a larger national database.
