JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The City of Jacksonville is rolling out new technology designed to help local pets find their fur-ever homes, and it all starts with a simple swipe to the right.
The new JaxPawFinder app, unveiled Wednesday, uses AI to match adoptable pets with people based on lifestyle, personality, and preferences, much like a dating app for cats and dogs.
“It’s technology with a heart,” said Mayor Donna Deegan. “It’s about using innovation to make compassion even stronger, by harnessing the power of AI to bring pets and people together faster than ever before.”
The app was built in-house at no cost to taxpayers by the city’s Creative Solutions Team, according to officials. Through the app, users can filter adoptable pets at Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) by size, age, temperament, and energy level — then swipe to find the perfect match.
“We’ve always said that the right match saves lives,” said Michael Bricker, Chief of Animal Care and Protective Services. “With JaxPawFinder, we’re using technology to make those matches smarter and faster, giving every animal a better shot at finding their perfect home.”
City employee Jeff Moore was one of the app’s early adopters. He says he was just testing it when he came across his new dog, Sir Charles.“It gives you a whole multitude of possibilities,” Moore said. “It can show you what you may like — the temperament, the size — and it puts all those factors into play when it shows potential candidates for adoption.”
The shelter expects to see more visitors following the launch and has expanded its hours — now open seven days a week from noon to 7 p.m.
JaxPawFinder is available now on the App Store and Google Play.
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