Phone-a-pet Solution To Missing Pooches

[Boronia]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/phoneapet-solution-to-missing-pooches-20120725-22pqk.html

The days of papering the neighbourhood with lost dog posters could be numbered.

Little Jimmy has come home from football practice and left the side gate open leaving an opening for the most adored member of the family - Fido the shih tzu - to break free of the backyard and tear off into the night.

Rather than race door to door asking every neighbour whether they've seen their escaped pooch, Fido's owners grab the telephone and call the RSPCA.

Within minutes, 2000 homes in the area have been contacted by automated phone message detailing the lost dog's name, breed and distinct markings. Fido's owners are well on their way to getting their little dog back.

Using ReachTEL's voice broadcast technology, the RSPCA's Pet D Tect service has been enhanced, allowing details of a registered lost dog to be relayed to neighbours' phones via an automated message in minutes.

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The messages continue to be sent out until 2000 callers are successfully reached.

The service costs $300, significantly more than the typical $50 service offered by the RSPCA, which cross checks lost animals registered with the organisation with lists on vet surgeries and council pounds.

But with the RSPCA fielding more than 32,000 calls about lost and found pets last year the organisation says the technology will greatly improve the chances of finding a pet.

"Anything we can do to get those animals back to their owners much quicker is a step in the right direction," RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said.

"The fact it is interactive too is great. So somebody who has seen can simply press a number and be patched straight through to the lost and found call centre."

The idea for the program came about while ReachTEL were performing market research for the RSPCA.

RSPCA Queensland executive director Michael Hornby suggested the organisation could utilise ReachTEL's automated voice services to help track lost pets.

ReachTEL agreed and, after successful trials throughout Brisbane, Cairns, Rockhampton and Townsville, the service has been offered to pet owners statewide.

The service is a not-for-profit venture offered by ReachTEL, with the $300 fee going towards administrative costs. Since it is not of a commercial nature, phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry will be contacted but private numbers will not.

Mr Beatty says he expects most call recipients won't feel their privacy is threatened considering the calls are helping to track down a lost pet.

While ReachTEL operations manager James Stewart said people would be given the option to opt out during the first call.

"People will immediately be presented with an option not to receive calls in the future," he said.

RSPCA Queensland's Lost and Found service can be contacted by calling 1300 363 736

[megan_]

I believe PetSearch already offers a similar service. It can also be packaged up with other search activities. They even scour the streets looking for the missing pooch. If my dog went missing they'd be my first port-of-call.