What if fighting overpupulation — a word I just made up to explain why more than 3 million dogs and cats are euthanized every year — were as easy as online dating?
AllPaws wants to make it so. Launching “very soon,” the site will give users granular control over the search for the perfect pet. Forget looking for a six-foot-tall public defender who loves libraries — it’s time to find you that cute Siamese at a nearby shelter. (She’ll fit better in your lap, anyway.)
FastCoCreate dishes:
At launch, AllPaws will have 100,000 adoptable pets and feature 20 search criteria including color, size, temperament, energy level, and whether the animal has been house trained. More filters will be added as the site develops its shelter partnerships. Also, like online dating, there will be an emphasis on photos, a “favorites” section, and the option to receive “match” alerts via email.
Best part? Your future pet will never stand you up, secretly be married, or turn out to be a self-loathing alcoholic (not that we’re bitter).
Granted, we’re not wild about the increasing online shopification of the world. Zappos is one thing, but getting a screenful of potential dates can be overwhelming and even paralyzing, making people seem disposable — because there’s always someone else, someone better. Forgive the maternal aside, but it’s important to keep an open mind for an unexpected match, be it human or canine, even if he or she doesn’t look perfect on the surface.
Then again, people do everything online these days, and anything that helps unwanted pets find a home is pretty groovy. Who’s ready to find four-legged love?!
