Animal Shelter 1 Of 25 Nationwide In New Pilot Program To Help Reunite Pets With Owners

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — The Prince George's County Animal Services Facility and Adoptions Center is one of only 25 shelters nationwide that's been selected to join Network Neighbors, a new pilot program led by Best Friends Animal Society, a well-known animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the euthanasia of dogs and cats in America's shelters.

Launched in June, Network Neighbors, supported by Petco Love Lost, aims to reunite lost pets with their families by providing important information directly to the people who find them, right in their neighborhoods. Lost or stray pets account for many animals entering shelters, and the Network Neighbors pilot program aims to empower the community to help reunite families.

The pilot program is a partnership with Petco Love. It uses the free Petco Love Lost online tool, which applies artificial intelligence to identify features of found pets and match them with similar missing pets reported in the area. Pet owners can create a free profile for their pets at www.Petcolove.org to improve the chances of reunification if their pets go missing.

Local volunteers are helping ASFAC by distributing bilingual yard signs that feature a QR code linking to Petco Love Lost. This free, user-friendly online tool helps connect found pets with their owners, offering an easy way to return pets to their homes before they are taken to a shelter.

About 70% of lost dogs are found within a one-mile radius of their home. Signs are being posted in areas where county data from the past year shows a higher-than-average number of lost dogs.

“It is truly heartbreaking when a lost pet arrives at our facility, and we know someone is missing them just as much as they are missing their family," said David Fisher, associate director of the Prince George's County Animal Services Division. "We are excited to be part of this project and help more of these animals reunite with the people who love them. Not only are families brought back together, but doing so also ensures our kennels aren't filled with pets that already have homes," added Fisher.

Over the next several months, ASFAC, Best Friends and Petco Love will monitor the impact of grassroots efforts on the community. The program will primarily collect and analyze dog data, as shelters have more precise information on where lost dogs are found, making it easier to measure the impact. The goal is to benefit both cats and dogs. If successful, Network Neighbors could expand to communities nationwide, potentially reuniting thousands of pets with their owners or families.

"Network Neighbors is all about working together to get lost pets back to their families and save lives while doing it," said Whitney Bollinger, director of strategy and network operations at Best Friends Animal Society. "We are grateful to ASFAC and local volunteers for being part of this important project, the lifesaving impact of which will be felt in Prince George's County and across the country."