PetLynx 101: How do I reduce the administrative workload of my lost and found department?

Need help? Call PetLynx!

The PetLynx AnimalTRACS system was designed to help make life easier for our Authorized Service Providers (ASCs) .... as well as get more pets HomeSafe!

Here are some simple things you can do to make PetLynx work for you:

PetLynx 101: Why should pet families pre-register before adopting?

Bet ya can't pick just one!

Adopting a new animal companion is exciting! But it can also be intimidating and overwhelming .... even for those of us who have been through it before!

There is 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 with PetLynx  before they get to the shelter.

PetLynx 101: What is DataSketch™?

Is this cat black and white ... or white and black?

Considering that any two people will likely not describe an animal the same way, many companion animals without current, traceable identification are never reunited with their guardians because animal shelters are not able to make a match.

To help solve this age-old problem, PetLynx created DataSketch™.

DataSketch™ 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. By filling in the information, users actually 'paint a picture' of a lost or found pet ... rather than draw conclusions about its breed, coat pattern and colour.

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.

The PetLynx DataSketch™ system ... it's web-based technology that works for pets, people and communities!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

The Perks of PetLynx for Pet Families

Whether they operate as part of a municipality or are non-profit agencies, animal shelters are busy places! While it can be a challenge, it is important that adoption staff and volunteers using PetLynx take a few minutes to explain the "perks" of registration that is part of the pet adoption package given to each new pet family.

The Perks of PetLynx (For Pet Families)

Whether they operate as part of a municipality or are non-profit agencies, animal shelters are busy places! While it can be a challenge, it is important that adoption staff and volunteers using PetLynx take a few minutes to explain the "perks" of registration that is part of the pet adoption package given to each new pet family. What's in for me, you might ask? When pet guardians regularly update their PetLynx profile they help animal service providers (that's you!) get lost pets HomeSafe faster! With the PetLynx DataSketch system, lost and found matches can be made using only a physical description. With the quick and easy AutoMatch recovery system, fewer animals are brought to animal shelters... saving valuable time, resources and, ultimately, lives. Benefits of PetLynx for pet families:

• Instant access to pet's ID and medical records 24/7.

• In an emergency, veterinarians, shelter workers and animal control personnel have access to information 24/7.

• Lifetime access to National Automated Pet Recovery Service, should the animal become lost. Includes ability to quickly and easily create and print "Lost Pet" posters.

• DataSketchTM and AutoMatchTM combine to enable real time automated matching of lost and found pets, with or without ID, to help get pets HomeSafeTM!

Pet families should be advised to:

• Upload a new photo of the pet immediately. Update at least annually.

• Update contact info immediately, whenever anything changes. No fee for updating or changing information.

• Double-check pet(s) listing(s) at least once a year, ideally when dog/cat licenses are renewed or when the pet has an annual physical.

• Update medical information. This is especially important as your pet ages or if there has been a change in medication or treatment protocols.

• Update the profile if there has been radical change in your pet's description. (Such as shaving, spaying or neutering.)

Want to know more? Check out our Q & A section. Not a service provider? Want to register your pet with PetLynx? Pre-register your pet for one low lifetime fee

Honouring Your Volunteers

Volunteers are the backbone of any nonprofit organization. Part of the joy that comes from working in animal welfare is getting know these hardworking and dedicated individuals who give so much of themselves to help companion animals. Even though animal welfare volunteers receive so much love and gratitude back from the animals they care for, they still appreciate receiving recognition from their peers. One way an organization can reward its volunteers is to nominate these individuals for the PetSmart Charities Lifesaving Volunteer Award. This is a special way to recognize volunteers who go above and beyond to help your agency fulfill its mission. Submit the story of one of your volunteer's amazing contribution to you agency and why he or she deserves the award. Submissions are accepted throughout the year, and winners are picked quarterly. Lifesaving volunteers are featured in the PetSmart Charities Quarterly newsletter with an article and photo. They will also earn their agency a one-time $500 award! To nominate a volunteer, please email: tspencer@PetSmartCharities.org Used by permission from PetSmart Charities, Inc. Learn more with free webinars at: www.petsmartcharities.org

Challenges With Microchip Databases

What is the difference between a microchip database and the PetLynx automated recovery system? There is no doubt that the introduction of the pet identification microchip was (and still is) a phenomenal development for the companion animal industry. It is remarkable how something as small as a grain of rice has had such a significant impact on our ability to return lost companion animals to their owners! That said, the microchip has its limitations. Microchip databases contain basic descriptions and contact information only, and this information is not easily managed by the animal guardian or accessible to someone who has found a lost pet. To discover if a lost pet has a microchip (or not) the person who finds it need to have access to a microchip scanner... and that's not always possible.

PetLynx's automated recovery system is different in that it works with or without identification. Matches are made according to a very basic physical description. Once this information is input into the system, AutoMatchTM actively searches lost and found reports from your community and surrounding Authorized Service Centers to find matches. An automated recovery system is also more user friendly and effective in that it allows users to serve themselves over the Internet, rather than calling in to facilities and organizations and it provides matches automatically, reducing the need for manual searches.

Bones of the Business

Tips for Working Smarter Challenge: Your agency receives animals who might do better in a different environment or with different resources: more time, more space, some rehabilitation options (medical or behavioral) or different exposure for adoption. Solution: Instead of competing with other animal welfare agencies, recognize the strengths of each organization and work together for the homeless animals in your community by creating transfer relationships. Recognize program priorities In a transfer relationship, you must recognize that neither agency is the "villain" and neither is the "hero." The releasing agency and the receiving agency are equal partners. Considerations before entering a transfer partnership

• Can you commit consistent people-time for the program?
• Have you visited your partner agency to get a first-hand knowledge of conditions, philosophies and expectations?
• Are there seasonal considerations?

Build sound procedures to address logistics Write transparent procedures and requirements to clarify roles and responsibilities with WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND HOW. View the Spring 2009 issue of PetSmart Charities Quarterly newsletter for the complete story. Used by permission from PetSmart Charities, Inc. Learn more with free webinars at: www.petsmartcharities.org

Mistaken Identity

Does PetLynx use physical descriptions to match lost and found pets?

One of the most frustrating aspects of trying to match "found" animals with "lost" animals is discrepancies in how different people may describe the same animal. It's difficult enough for a lay person to try to identify purebred dogs... but now we have dozens of "designer dogs," too! So, instead of playing "guess the breed", PetLynx's unique DataSketch™ application helps the user "draw" a picture of the dog (or cat) by simply identifying colours and identifying marks. It does not take other physical characteristics into consideration. DataSketch™ narrows down the description choice to seven main colours and acknowledges different situations, such as a brown dog is similar to a tan dog. Once the information has been input to DataSketch™, the PetLynx AutoMatch™ system works its magic. Rather than scanning for similar breed listings -- which may be incorrect -- it compares coat colour. It then creates a list of the most likely matches, with a 100% rating, followed by less relevant matches. While this system works great, it is imperative that people registering lost animals understand that it is their responsibility to follow up on AutoMatch™ notifications to determine if a match is their pet or not.

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!

AnimalTRACS™ reduces your workload

More often than not, when you hear someone refer to AnimalTRACS™, he or she is talking about the automated Lost and Found features it contains. Although these features are truly one-of-a-kind and certainly worth recognizing, the real treasure of AnimalTRACS™ is the amount of time it can save your staff. With most registration systems, the process involves paper forms that must be hand written, mailed or faxed in, and then finally entered into a stand-alone database by staff at a microchip company. Not only is this process time consuming but it facilitates mix-ups or misplaced data. By allowing pet families to register themselves before entering your facility and update their own records after they’ve left, AnimalTRACS™ reduces the industry workload by over 90 percent. It also encourages pet families to keep their information current and thereby supports a culture of responsible pet ownership in your community. The next time you mention AnimalTRACS™ to someone, tout the Lost and Found capabilities—they’re second to none—but don’t neglect to mention the other benefits it has for your organization and for the whole industry.

Why doesn't PetLynx use breed descriptions for making matches?

The simple answer is breed descriptions don't work very well. Pet owners and the general public who find most pets don’t always describe a breed or the physical descriptions of an animal in a way that could result in a match. That is why PetLynx took a step away from the traditional industry practice and created the AutoMatch™ system with its DataSketch™ animal descriptions. This system is designed to be available 24-7, lower in cost, and easy for the general public to use - just like a paint-by-number picture. PetLynx also eliminates the colour confusion by limiting the colour palette to seven primary colours. By forcing all users into the same set of criteria, PetLynx eliminates descriptions that would achieve inaccurate results. By using a web search engine like AutoMatch™ that orders matches by matching percentage, PetLynx increases the chances of making a match and reuniting pets with their familiesBecause PetLynx makes it so easy to enter a found report, more animals are returned directly home without a side trip to the pound or shelter. For this reason, communities that have an Automated Recovery System ‘Powered by PetLynx’ reunite more pets with their families, reduce the stress on pet owners, reduce or eliminate the need for expensive call centres, and speed up the recovery process. This is good for people and municipalities, and it’s wonderful protection for pets.

Tips and Tools - Making Time

As pet industry leaders, you all have something in common, and it's not only your love of animals. You all need more time in the day---twenty-four hours just doesn't seem to be enough time to get everything done. Although using AnimalTRACS and the other PetLynx offerings will help you decrease the time spent on lost and found episodes, they can also help you 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 by half the time it takes to complete an adoption. Likewise, if you require the public to have already completed a found report for any animal they bring in, you can transfer those lost reports directly to the shelter and in so doing decrease by half the amount of time your intake process requires. Not only are these process changes saving you 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 with lighten the workload.