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Missing a pet, they have an app for that

School District 43 students launch crowd funding campaign for pet finder app
Petfinder app
Working on FindaLostPet, a smart phone app, are Laef Kucheran, Brandon Mayhew and Alin Kucheran, students at School District 43's Inquiry Hub. Missing is Stefan Clarinval, 13, of White Rock.

Missing pets can be a tragedy for a family but a solution for finding them may be at hand thanks to a group of Coquitlam high school students.

Lost pet posters aren't up to the job because the information is often sketchy and valuable time can be lost between creating and putting up posters, and waiting for a call.

The students who attend School District 43's Inquiry Hub think they have a solution with FindALostPet, an app that links people with missing pets with people who may see a wandering dog or cat, or who may be willing to search for the animal.

"The pet posters don't reach that many people," said Laef Kucheran, 14, a Grade 9 student who is the project leader. "Very few people read them and there's very little info and no multiple photos…
"There's so much data out there, were going to collect it in a central place where people can see the entire community.

The idea is to have a map that shows in real time where pets have gone missing along with photos and information about missing animals, alerts and secure ways to contact people if a pet has been found. Another idea is to give pet finder "reputation points" so they are encouraged to keep looking, Kucheran said.

But to get the app finalized, the students need $500 for to pay for hosting, an SSL certificate to ensure the website connection is secure and safe, image storage and other costs. There is just over a week left on the team's crowdfunding campaign and donors to the project are eligible for numerous gifts, including a handwritten Christmas card. To contribute visit here.

Another key student involved is Stefan Clarinval, 13, who is in Grade 8, and lives in White Rock.

• For more information, email team@findalostpet.org.