New mobile app could make finding lost pets easier

NAPA COUNTY, Calif. -- Last year, the Napa County Animal shelter took in 1,200 lost and stray dogs, but it only reunited half of those animals with their owners. Now a new mobile app could make it easier to help lost pets come home.

When Bill Frazier found a lost dog he says it took a while to find its owner.

"First of all, the pound was actually closed after 6 p.m., so the only dog people that we could get a hold of was our veterinarian," Frazier said.

A new mobile app called Finding Rover is making it easier for anyone to identify a lost dog by using facial recognition technology. It automatically matches the lost dog's face to the one submitted by its owner.

"So we don't have do anything more than upload a photo in our shelter's software that synchs with Finding Rover," said Kristen Loomer of the Napa County Animal Shelter. "So, every dog that comes into our facility has a profile created."

The Napa County Animal Shelter is the first in Northern California to register its lost dogs.

"If they're not in the neighborhood they were lost in, you're putting up flyers, but they might not be in the right area," said dog owner Angela Longi. Angelina Alongi

The success of finding lost dogs relies on the number of dogs registered in the international data base.

We couldn't find the owners of these dogs, because they aren't registered.

"I'm part of the dog community, so I would definitely spread the word and tell my friends," said Gary Williams, a dog owner.

No successful reunions at the animal shelter yet, but with enough collaboration, it's hoping to help bring more lost pets home.