How is AutoMatch™ different from other search engines?

AutoMatch™ is different in several important ways:

1. Our system makes matches based on identifiers such as microchip and tattoos.
2. Our system is not proprietary to any microchip manufacturer, so all microchip types are accepted.
3. AutoMatch can also make matches on a pet based on only a physical description, using our unique DataSketch™ technology.
4. Unlike other systems, AutoMatch™ is an automatic system so there is no need to manually search through reports.
5. AutoMatch™ sends out possible matches to other animals that are similar to your description -- no other pet lost and found search engine does this!

What is DataSketch™?

Two people will likely not describe an animal the same way. PetLynx created the DataSketch™ technology to help with this, as it reduces the number of possible descriptors and colors for a pet to a defined number. By reducing the descriptors we have increased the possibility that people will describe the animal in a similar fashion. An animal's DataSketch™ is compared to other sketches and 'scored' during the AutoMatch™ process. Those matches with the highest scores are then presented to both parties as the most likely matches.

What is AutoMatch™?

AutoMatch™ is a service exclusive to the PetLynx system that can search for matches for a pet using either an identifier such as a tattoo, microchip or PetLynx visual tag, and/or based on only a physical description of the animal using a PetLynx technology called DataSketch™. The AutoMatch™ system then serves up potential matches and notifies both parties involved. The parties can then retrieve the matches and physically follow up to see if it is the correct pet. The onus of recovery of the pet is ultimately on the pet family, however the system allows for the finder to engage themselves as well if they choose to.

As an ASC how do I reduce the administrative workload of my lost and found department?

1. Require pet families to use PetLynx themselves to post and monitor their own lost reports.
2. Change your phone messages to instruct callers to go to your website or http://www.petlynx.net/ to post a lost or found report. This will reduce the need for pet families to talk directly with your staff.
3. Promote and reinforce the above message in your community by communicating to your stakeholders the benefits of your recovery system powered by PetLynx.
4. Create promotional or communications programs to increase PetLynx Lifetime Subscription pet registrations in your area and create a new revenue stream for your organization. For more information complete this form.

Pre-Registering Saves Time

As pet industry leaders, you all have more in common than your love of animals; you need more time in the day---twenty-four hours just doesn't seem to be enough time to get everything done. Using AnimalTRACS™ and other PetLynx offerings will help you decrease the time spent on lost and found episodes, and will also help reduce both admission and adoption times if you encourage the public to do the work. By getting your clients to pre-load themselves in the system, you've decreased the time it takes to complete an adoption by half. Likewise, if you require the public to complete a found report prior to the intake of a new animal, you can transfer those found reports and decrease the amount of time your intake procedure requires. Not only are these process changes saving time but they are also encouraging your clients to use PetLynx thereby ensuring that the next time they experience a lost or found episode for an animal, they will go directly to PetLynx first. We all know we can't add hours to the day but we can use others to help lighten the workload.

Pre-Registration for Adoption

Adopting a new pet is overwhelming even for those of us who have been through it before. There's a lot of emotion involved in that first week and because of this, new pet families often lose sight of some of the responsibilities that come with their new bundle of joy. This distraction is reason enough to encourage pet families to pre-register before they get to the shelter. By creating an account for themselves before they walk in your door, adopters not only save you time and money but they prove that they are serious about taking on the responsibility associated with having a new pet. It encourages the pet family's understanding that they are accountable for keeping their information current and that PetLynx is the place to do it. By the time Fluffy wanders out the door for the first time, your pet families will already know that the first step includes PetLynx--it will be old hat. Nose kisses, 'potty' training successes, and a multitude of firsts will only hold an allure for so long and encouraging your pet families to be responsible pet owners is what really leads to increased recoveries, shorter shelter stays, and great HomeSafe stories.

Easy Solution For Duplicate Records

One of the problems faced by large national registries is duplicate records. Duplicate records can occur for a number of reasons, but a common reason is failing to scan for an existing record.

Duplicate records can be especially detrimental since they interrupt the audit trails and history associated with a pet. Continually creating new records for a person is also expensive when a simple search would uncover the existing record. In the worst case, this lack of continuity in the animal record could fail to provide for the wellbeing of an animal during an emergency situation.

Luckily, there are two easy solutions to this problem— solutions that have the potential to save a great deal of time when dealing with a pet owner. Every time an Authorized Service Centre creates a Pet Owner in the PetLynx system they are given the option to complete a Pet Owner Search first. Searching by the last name, phone number, email or address will bring up the record. Operators will save the time of re-entering the pet owner information.

And there’s one more system function that can really help overcome difficult searches. Performing a ‘wildcard’ search can be very helpful when a name is difficult to spell, has multiple spellings, or an address is vague. Wildcard searches are performed by replacing data with an astrix. For example, keying in ‘sm*’ will obtain a result for all data starting with the letters ‘sm’ regardless of what comes after these letters. If the Pet Owner is already in the system, this type of search will shave several minutes off the search and entry time.

Duplicate records may still occur, but together we can work toward minimizing this situation with a few simple changes to our process. The next time you serve a pet owner on the PetLynx system remember to incorporate this simple process - Scan or Search, Confirm, then Enter. It could prevent a duplicate record and save on data entry!