Kim Buchanan started Pets on the Net, a website posting details of lost and found animals, after her cat went missing. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Kim Buchanan started Pets on the Net, a website posting details of lost and found animals, after her cat went missing. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
When Vicky Lockhart stumbled across missing tabby "Gatling Blackfoot" roaming the streets of Auckland, he was just skin and bones.
The Three Kings resident took him home, fed him, cut off matted fur and gave him flea and worm treatment.
"He was in a very sad condition," said Lockhart, who jumped online to advertise the lost cat on Pets on the Net in the hope of finding his owners.
It was only a matter of days before Gatling's family found the listing of their beloved tabby cat, which had been missing for four months after he bolted in August last year, when they moved house.
Gatling Blackfoot enjoying some R & R at home, after going missing for four months. Photo / Supplied
This is just one of thousands of tales of heartbroken owners and happy endings, facilitated by Pets on the Net, a nationwide, online noticeboard that helps reunite and rehome thousands of lost and found animals every year.
This week, the Herald takes a look at Kiwis who are dedicated to helping our animals.
For Pets on the Net founder Kim Buchanan, it is the sheer joy of helping people find their pets that has kept her in the business for 14 years.
"When a pet is reunited there are a lot of 'woohoos' and the keyboard here often gets its fair share of happy tears. Having that feeling many times a day is very rewarding and addictive."
Buchanan started the service in 2002 after her own fur baby, Sammy the cat, went walkabout.
The former SPCA volunteer said she did all the normal things such as door-knocking, delivering flyers and putting adverts in the paper to find Sammy until, frustrated, she realised she could do no more.
"We thought, why isn't there one place on the internet where people can come together for free to look for their pets?"
Buchanan said the service has been very successful right from the beginning with about 500 lost and found pets listed at any one time.
Sometimes pets are reunited within a matter of seconds or minutes. Other times, the website has reunited pets after years of them going missing.
Jah Jah the 6-week-old "ultra friendly" goat went missing in November. His owners said on Pets on the Net that they are concerned as he was still being bottle fed. Photo / Supplied
Anyone can post about a lost or found pet on the website for free. The SPCA, which supports the service, also regularly posts found pet notices on the website.
The site is funded by advertising, sponsorship, donations and optional upgrades for listings to make your lost pet feature on social media and the website homepage.
Listings are not restricted to four-legged fur friends. There is a cockatiel named Eli, who understands Korean, listed on the website.
Baby goat Jah Jah, Gandalf the billy goat and Grace the bantam chicken have also been among lost pets advertised on the site.
"Our most unusual lost pet was a pet pukeko," said Buchanan.
"We work with all types of lost and found pets and animals - as well as of course cats and dogs - such as birds, turtles, pet deer, sheep, horses and goats."
Pets on the Net also have animals for adoption and provide advice for owners who have lost a pet.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's Louie and Hugo hold Pets on the Net's speed record after being found within seconds of the lost dog notice on the website. Photo / Supplied
'Tails' of success:
• A Birman cat named Vitamin was reunited with his family after he went missing for two and a half years. Vitamin crossed the Harbour Bridge and was found in Drury, more than 60km from his home on Auckland's North Shore. • Pets on the Net's speed record belongs to two Cavalier King Charles spaniels, found within seconds of their lost dog listing. Louie and Hugo were spotted running in traffic in Newmarket, Auckland. • Cedric the Burmese cat was returned to his distraught owners after a year. His finder posted photos of him on petsonthenet.co.nz. Cedric was sporting a few small injuries including missing teeth and a hoarse meow. • A 16-year-old deaf and mostly blind cat was listed as found only a minute after its owners advertised it was missing on the website. The cat was reunited with its owners an hour later.
How it works
• Go to petsonthenet.co.nz • Register for free • Click on "list a lost or found pet" - you can choose to post about a lost animal or one you have found and want to reunite with its owner • Add photos, descriptions and contact details to your listing • Option to pay to "upgrade" your post. Have your pet featured on the homepage, social media and/or pinned to the top listings
