New app inspired by pets killed in Marshall Fire hopes to connect neighbors ahead of emergencies
A new app for pet owners, created out of the loss of more than 1,000 pets in the Marshall Fire, is one of the first that will help owners account for pets during disasters and individual emergencies.
PHaR or Pet Help and Rescue, which will launch for iPhone users at the end of this month, aims to connect pet owners with neighbors who can lend a hand in an emergency.
"The amount of communication that was going around on Dec. 30, 2021 was ridiculous. I mean, it was really hard to figure out who needed what and when," said Dave Crawford, a Superior resident who lost his home.
Crawford was home at the time of the fire and was able to safely evacuate his two cats before his home burned down. While he tried to help other neighbors, he was only able to rescue one dog, Chief, a one-year-old German Shepherd.
"I didn't know they needed help... I helped one dog," he said.
According to research by CU Boulder and the Rocky Mountain Medical Reserve Corps, more than 1,000 pets perished in the fire. The report says many were at work or out of town. The lack of a reporting system for pets, during and after, made the situation even more difficult.
After hearing from neighbors like Michael Neustedter, Crawford realized he could do something.
Just two doors down from Crawford, Neustedter's cat Kobe was trapped inside, while he was out of town with his wife and child. While he was on the phone with his pet sitter, the traffic and flames prevented her from reaching the cat.
"We had only been living here a year, and we were like 'oh my gosh, we don't have any of the neighbor's phone numbers,' even though we consider ourselves friends with many of them," Neustedter said. "I told Dave the story and he was like, 'wouldn't it be kind of cool if there was a way you could send out a signal that could get people or even strangers in your neighborhood to rescue your pet?' and I was like, 'that's a cool idea!'"
Luckily, Crawford was already in the business of helping animals. He is the executive director of Colorado-based, Animal Help Now, which assists with wild animal rescues. It's had its own app for more than a decade. Following stories about pets lost to the fire, Crawford knew his team could do something to help improve communication for our pets.
"Mike's experience was really compelling for us, and it sort of drove home the need for this app cause I live two doors down and I had time," he said.
Over the last 11 months, Crawford has been working with a team of more than 20 volunteers across the country to develop the app. He's also been working with neighbors like Neustedter.
"A lot of the neighbors helped influence Dave's work," said Neustedter.
For instance, the stress of the situation played a major role in making the application as simple as possible. It's not only useful in a disaster, but for the busy pet parent who can't make it home on time.
"The Marshall Fire sort of drove home this idea that these animals are completely dependent upon us," said Crawford.
Crawford says the app plans to collect detailed information from pet owners, who will then be able to use it for individual emergencies.
"We're going to want to know what they look like, we'll need a picture, we'll want to know what their medications are, where their hiding places are," he said.
Neustedter knows an app like this could've helped Kobe. He says for now it's one of the many things helping him move forward.
"Software like this, technology, it makes you feel more confident about rebuilding and calling this home again," said Neustedter.
