Brandywine Valley SPCA Using Facial Recognition Technology To Help Reunite Lost Pets With Owners
NEW CASTLE, Del. (CBS) -- It can be so hard on families when a beloved pet gets loose and can't be found. But now the Brandywine SPCA is using new facial recognition technology to make it easier to reunite lost dogs and cats with their families.
"We should take every step necessary to try to get pets back to their owners," said Lauren Cook from the Brandywine Valley SPCA.
Tundra, a husky mix, came into the Brandywine Valley SPCA in New Castle as a stray on July 16.
The owners of the ball of energy never came to pick him up. The same goes for Clint, he came in as a stray on July 5.
He is a little calmer, but still in need of a home.
To help find their previous owners, or to find them a forever home, the shelter is using facial recognition.
"As soon as we put them in our system with a photograph, it matches it against those missing pets post," Cook said.
The technology is called Finding Rover. Lost pets can be uploaded to the website and if a pet is found, their image is cross-referenced through the system.
Neither Tundra or Clint were reported missing to the site.
Neither was Barley, who's been here for two weeks. But after surgery, he's now ready to be adopted.
It's important to note that this new technology isn't meant to replace the microchip, but rather to enhance it.
"This is just one more step that we take to try to reunite pets with their owners. So it shouldn't replace the microchip, it should be an addition to it," said Cook.
Owners don't have to wait for their pets to go missing, they can be proactive and upload images just in case.
And this is not just for dogs and cats, you can also upload rabbits, guinea pigs and even reptiles.