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** Press Release **
Overview of PetsLocated.com
What do we do?
Pets Located is an independent online resource that reunites owners and pets by performing automated match searches every fifteen minutes. Any potential matches are e-mailed to potential owners as soon as a match or potential match is made.
How does Pets Located work?
As well as providing you with the ability to search the Pets Located website yourself, by using the latest matching technology, we continually check the details that you have entered about your pet (such as colour, size, age, location last seen etc) against new entries that are added to the database and e-mail you with any potential matches. You can then send messages via our secure messaging system to the finder of a matching pet to obtain more details and ascertain whether it is indeed your missing pet.
Why we are different?
Pets Located is a unique service. Most animal centres, rescue services or lost and found websites perform manual searches to reunite pets and their owners. With the number of pets that are lost and found every week, these types of searches will never have the success they desire.
In addition, our site allows users to:
- Upload pictures of lost and found pets
- Hold online conversation that can save time and telephone calls
- Search in a wider geographic area than manual searches would be able to do.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pets Located
How does the matching work?
At Pets Located we have developed a unique matching engine which checks lost pet details against those registered as 'found' on the database. Based on a number of criteria, a score is calculated which shows how similar two pets are. Occasionally you may get 'matches' which are fairly obviously incorrect to a human, but because of the similarities in a number of other areas, the match is put forward to you - we don't want to exclude a potential match because the finder didn't know the exact details, or entered them slightly differently to the owner. For example, is a Dalmation dog: white with black areas, black with white areas, or a black and white dog? You may also find matches which are a large distance away from where the pet was lost. This is taken into account when the score is derived. We regularly have cats which get trapped in lorries and have travelled long distances, or dogs which have been stolen and moved to another area of the country, so again, we don't want to exclude these as potential matches.
How do I add details of a pet I have found?
Adding details of a pet you have found is free and easy. Simply click on the Found a Pet? link and enter your details along with the details of the pet. We will send you a confirmation e-mail to validate your e-mail address and as soon as you click on the link in the e-mail, you will be helping someone to find their missing pet. The whole process should take no longer than 5 minutes.
How do I find my missing pet on the Pets Located website?
To start with you can search our database of pets which have been found. If you find a pet which you think is your missing pet you can register your details and you will then be able to send a message to the finder via our secure messaging service.
If you want to narrow the search area down or you can't see your missing pet on our website, simply register with us and you can a) specify a smaller radius in which to search and b) benefit from the peace of mind of knowing that for a whole year we will e-mail you with any pets which are added to our database which match the details of the missing pet which you have entered.
Why do I need to validate my e-mail address?
To ensure that only genuine entries are added to our database, we do not show the details of any pets which have been found until you have validated your e-mail address by clicking on a link which we provide in an e-mail that we send to you. You only need to validate your e-mail address once. You can then add as many found pets as you need to without further validation.
Can I register more than one 'found' pet?
Yes. Once you have created and validated your account by adding the details of your first found pet, when you log in you will be given the option to add the details of other found pets. Or you can simply click on the Found a Pet? link and follow the instructions for logging in from there.
How much does a listing on Pets Located cost?
Found Animal postings are Free of Charge.
Lost Animal postings have a one-off registration fee per pet which can be renewed at the end of the subscription period.
How quickly will my listing appear on the website?
If you are registering a lost pet, your details will become active as soon as you have paid the registration fee.
If you are registering details of a pet you have found, your listing will appear as soon as you have entered the details on to the website and validated your e-mail address.
How do I pay for my Pets Located listing?
For people registering a lost pet, we accept the following debit and credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Switch/Maestro, Visa Delta and Visa Electron. Unfortunately we have no facility to accept orders when payment is by cheque or cash. There is no charge for registering details of a found pet.
How secure are my credit/debit card details?
We use WorldPay to process our credit/debit card payments. WorldPay is a well established company specialising in electronic payment processing and for added security you are directed to their secure server to enter your card details. Your card details and are not seen or stored by ourselves.
What happens when you make a match of my pet's details?
When our unique matching engine finds a pet which we believe may match your missing pet, you will be sent an e-mail with the details along with a link to view the information on this website. You can then contact the finder through our secure messaging system.
What if my animal voluntarily returns home?
Please deactivate your listing on Pets Located to ensure that the database is up to date for those who have yet to be reunited with their pets. You can do this by logging in and going to the My Account page and selecting the appropriate option.
How do I deactivate a posting?
This can be done through the My Account page when you are logged in to this website. Under the 'Options' column there is link to 'Hide from site'. Your listing will be removed from the main website but you will still be able to access and reactivate it for 5 days should you need to. After this time the listing will automatically be archived.
How do I make contact if I believe my missing pet is on this website?
When you view details of a pet (whether as the result of a search, or from an e-mail which has been sent to you), you will be provided with a link to enable you to use our secure messaging service. This service is only available for people who have registered their lost pet on this website.
How do I edit/change my details when I have registered?
Simply log in and go to the My Account page and you will be able to change your e-mail address, password and other personal details.
Do you pass my details on to any other companies?
No. We have a policy of not passing details on to any other company. Our company is registered with the Information Commissioner as required by the Data Protection Act - registration number Z2220402. We will only send e-mails to the e-mail address supplied by you when placing orders and will remove you from the mailing list as soon as you request us to.
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