App helps bring lost dogs home

Nowadays, a lot of apps exist out there that are poorly designed, have little use, only service a small demographic of people, or are otherwise hard to use and inaccessible. The App Store is saturated with low-quality apps that have little utility for most users. Most smartphone users rotate through the same major social media apps and perhaps a few phone games. But, there are some instances where smaller app startups provide a lot of utility to their demographic. They might be hard to find or hard to come across if you are browsing through the store, but their utility increases the more users it has on its platform. And that is the case of FindShadow, a super helpful resource for pet owners.

Easy to use

I have tried out FindShadow over the past few weeks (although I have not lost my dog) to see how useful the app is, its UX design and if it delivers what it promises. Keep reading to see how effective Findshadow is.

Right off the bat, the app is simple, clean, and well-designed. The way everything is laid out makes it very clear what steps the user needs to take to create a posting and then review results. I believe that starting up the process of an account on an app is a crucial part of the conversion path that a lot of app designers do not consider fully. If it takes a while or is confusing, unclear, or otherwise difficult to sign up and get started with an app, a lot of people will drop off at this point. This is not the case with Shadow. They do not bombard you with a bunch of irrelevant info and get straight to the point. Upload your dog’s images and immediately reach out to the FindShadow community. It is simple, quick, and useful.

As a free app, the work that goes into actually locating and identifying these dogs is mostly community and people-driven. I think this is what makes FindShadow so effective at finding missing dogs. People on the app genuinely care about the dogs that are missing and are concerned for the owners. According to the website, volunteers actively match photos from shelters to pictures on the app. It is pretty awesome to see how caring and generous the people on this app are for dog owners who are going through a hard time. Putting all the helpful features aside, the app has garnered an active, symbiotic community that is the driving force behind its success.

App features

Getting to some of the app features, FindShadow offers a multitude. Users can share their FindShadow posting and info through their social media accounts, which is a great way to increase outreach quickly. On the app, you can even print and download personalized flyers, so you do not have to go through the hassle of making one yourself.

The app aggregates listings of dogs that have been lost and dogs that have been found so you can easily browse through the appropriate channels to double-check if any FindShadow users have spotted your dog already. Another nifty feature is that you can send out a dog amber alert to your friends and family to immediately notify them of the emergency. This could be super useful if your network is familiar with your dog and lives in your vicinity.

All dog owners are well aware of the terrible feeling of losing your dog. FindShadow, at the very least, can provide some sense of comfort by connecting you to a community of like-minded, caring individuals who can support you in your process of finding your missing dog. I would recommend FindShadow to any dog owner, missing dog or not.

Findshadow also includes a feature that makes it easier to contact shelters.