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:

Pet Lynx 101: Explaining AutoMatch™

The Petlynx AutoMatch™ system is different than other lost and found pet systems in several important ways:

1. AutoMatch™ can makes matches on a pet based on only a physical description, using our unique DataSketch™ technology ... so there is less room for error and a better chance of making a match.
2. Unlike other systems, AutoMatch™ is operates automatically 24/7 so there is no need to manually search through reports
3. Our system also makes matches based on identifiers such as microchip and tattoos .... even if only a portion of the tattoo or microchip number is decipherable.
4. Our system is not proprietary to any microchip manufacturer, so all microchip types are accepted.
5. AutoMatch™ sends out possible matches to other animals that are similar to yours in description -- no other lost and found pet search engine does this!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

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

Why Doesn't PetLynx Does Use Specific Breed Designations?

The simple answer is ... asking the general public to identify a specific breed doesn't work very well!

Many people who find lost pets don’t always know its breed or note the physical descriptions of the animal in a way that could result in a match. That is why PetLynx Corporation took a step away from the traditional industry practice and created the AutoMatch™ system which uses DataSketch™ animal descriptions.

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.

PetLynx Records Record Highs

PetLynx™ established a new high water mark in the month of May by registering 19,162 entities -- including 9,989 pets and 9,173 pet owners.

May 2010 was the first month in more than a year that generated more pet registrations than pet owner (associate) registrations. The registration of multiple pets by a single pet family is a new phenomenon which will bear observation in the coming months.

PetLynx Registrations Increase by 63%

In April 2010 PetLynx registered 8253 entities, of which 4105 were pets and 4148 were associates. This represents a 63% increase over April 2009. This increase was due in part to the CKC registrations which began to come into the PetLynx production system in April.

About PetLynx:

PetLynx is the only provider of Automated Recovery Systems for municipalities, community service providers and government agencies in the world. PetLynx, provides lifetime protection for pets and peace of mind for pet families for just pennies a day.

Hundreds of times a day, the PetLynx AutoMatch™ search engine automatically finds matches for the lost and found pets admitted to shelters, clinics, emergency hospitals, pounds, the general public and pet families. PetLynx is the fastest growing provider of recovery services in North America. PetLynx Corporation is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Fish and Microchips on the Menu for Destron Fearing

Did you think that microchips were only of use to the companion and food animal industries? Think again! Digital Angel, an advanced technology company in the  field of animal identification and emergency identification solutions, recently announced that its Destron Fearing unit has been awarded over US$1.5 million in new orders for Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) fish-monitoring Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The new orders extend Destron Fearing's participation in a project currently underway to continue to develop a PIT-tag system for monitoring salmonids using the spillways at hydroelectric projects in the Columbia and Snake River basins in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
 

Joseph J. Grillo, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Angel, said: "This new Destron Fearing award demonstrates the confidence placed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in our technical expertise. Since the late 1980s, Digital Angel has worked with federal Columbia and Snake River hydroelectric projects to develop, manufacture, and install implantable RFID systems for monitoring the native salmon population, a vital resource for the local community. We are proud to be a part of this ongoing effort."

In its work with U. S. federal agencies in the Pacific Northwest, Destron Fearing employs PIT technology in conjunction with radio frequency identification (RFID) antennas to monitor salmonid movement as they migrate out of their native streams and pass the dams in the Columbia and Snake River Basins. The salmonid population's vulnerability to habitat loss, hydroelectric dams, and over-fishing makes these monitoring programs a crucial element in their survival. Destron Fearing's ground-breaking technology helps to effectively monitor the local salmon population as they migrate through a river system that encompasses an elaborate network of dams and tributaries.

On the Canadian front, Destron Fearing is working in cooperation with PetLynx Corporation. All pet owners who choose to have their pets identified with a Destron Fearing microchip automatically receive a PetLynx basic lifetime registration for that pet. It is a well-documented fact that lost pet recovery can be expedited when an animal has a traceable microchip, tag or tattoo… but in the event that ID is not available, PetLynx can help facilitate a “return to owner” based solely on a physical description of the animal. AutoMatch®, our national automated recovery system, will search for potential matches in registered impoundment facilities, veterinary clinics and animal shelters, as well as found pet reports posted by the general public.

 
Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Community Automation for the Animal Services Industry

The benefits of Web-based applications versus in-house systems Private networks within large organizations, such as banks and manufacturers, have been using Web-based 'Application Service Providers' (ASPs) for many years. The pet industry, however, has been slower to adopt this this more advanced technology. Instead, many organizations rely on in-house systems, largely because they assume that adopting more advanced technologies is beyond their financial reach and technological capabilities. PetLynx™ bridges the gap! Our two shelter and animal management programs are ShelterLynx™ and Animal TRACS™. Both of these systems are easy to implement and use, reducing the need for extensive staff training and lowering the threshold of computer literacy required by staff and volunteers. PetLynx™ also allows public users to serve themselves with ease, which takes some of the pressure off staff. Advantages of Petlynx™ ASP web-based services:

• Easy to implement, operate and maintain
• Requires minimal client computer facilities and resources
• Holds data in a more secure environment
• Provides technical support and help capabilities, allowing local IT resources to be redeployed or eliminated
• Connects all users within a group or sub-group to the same data store without undermining security
• Can be access remotely, with appropriate user ID and passwords.

Want to know more? Check out our Q & A or contact PetLynx today!

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

A Measure of Performance

What is the PetLynx PetMeter™? This component of the PetLynx system lets you view the PetLynx Utility at work. The numbers are a live-to-screen generated account of active lost and found reports and, most importantly, a live glimpse of the AutoMatch™ Google-like search engine. The unique AutoMatch™ search engine performs searches for lost pets against pets admitted to any shelter or pound through AnimalTRACS™ or ShelterLynx™, as well as those from found reports and those registered in the central database, to produce a list of potential matches. The owners are then contacted automatically by email for a happy reunion. In the upper half of the PetMeter™, the Live System Snapshot refreshes every time you connect, to show the system activity in real-time. This includes the number of:

• Active Lost Reports
• Active Found Reports
• Potential AutoMatchs™.

In the lower half of the PetMetre is an estimate of the number of animals lost, found, adopted and euthanized throughout North America. These numbers are aggregated from a painstaking summary of data:

• Canadian Federation of Humane Societies [CFHS]
• Humane Society of the United States [HSUS]
• Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
• National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy
• Animal People
• USA Today - Pet Population Study

No one is sure how accurate these numbers are, but our research has uncovered a margin of error in reported euthanasias across North America that may be as high as 30%. Wow! Can't we get a closer number than that? You bet we can! But the industry has to collect and share data in the same format. That's where PetLynx comes in. On a completely industry-neutral basis, we have developed the AnimalTRACS™ Utility to collect and present this data for everyone in the industry. As the list of contributors and therefore the accuracy grows, we all get a better understanding of the problem and the solution for each of our communities. Want to know more? Click here.

Investment in PetLynx™ is Money Well Spent

AutoMatch™ system is automatic, effortless and more accurate

Dianne Martyn, Kennel Manager, of Kennel Inn Animal Control in Aurora, Ontario, says that it has only been about ten months since they joined the PetLynx network and they have already realized significant savings… of time, financial and human resources, and lives!

“Using PetLynx™ has enabled us to eliminate the need for time-consuming manual record keeping, tracking and matching of lost and found reports,” explains Martyn. “With our previous manual system we relied on people telling us what breed of dog (or cat) they had found and this was not always accurate. Since PetLynx matches based on the physical description of the dog and the matching is done automatically, the AutoMatch™ feature ensures better accuracy, wider distribution and a broader range of potential matches.”

Martyn says that Kennel Inn staff and volunteers like the fact that the system is “pro-active”, with their voicemail system directing both people who have lost and those who have found pets to go to the PetLynx™ website to register information and post a photograph.

“People who have lost or found pets are impressed with services when phone contact is made and we are able to instantly find their report and mention the animal by name,” adds Martyn. “This is a level of personalized service that simply could not be previously achieved. Also, the timing, in terms of dogs and cats being return to owner more quickly, has improved dramatically. In many instances, matches are made in the community and we never have to admit the animal into the shelter.”

“Using PetLynx has definitely been a time-saver,” concludes Martyn. “Although using PetLynx™ added some new tasks, the previously labour-intensive and arduous task of manually searching for matches is now done for us automatically, accurately and effortlessly. It is a fabulous service."

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.

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.

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.