July 3, 2024 • 19 mins
Maria chats with Petco Love's President Susanne Kogut about all they do: Working with local shelters; saving pets' lives; supporting organizations; and reuniting lost pets with their owners!
Petco Love Lost is the largest national lost-and-found pet database...and it's FREE!!
Did you know nearly 10 million pets go missing each year?!! :(
Learn more and Upload a photo of your pet!! petcolovelost.org.
Petco Love Lost is the largest national lost-and-found pet database...and it's FREE!!
Did you know nearly 10 million pets go missing each year?!! :(
Learn more and Upload a photo of your pet!! petcolovelost.org.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. Whata great idea on iHeartRadio. Welcome to
Maria's Mutts and Stuff and with me. I'm so very very happy. She
is actually the president of peck coLove. It is Suzanne Cogut. So,
(00:22):
Suzanne, thank you for chatting withme today. I'm excited to talk
to you. Well, thanks forhaving me. I'm excited to be here
absolutely so. For those who aren'tsure, so pet COO Love is actually
was originally pet Co Foundation that wasfounded back in nineteen ninety nine. And
for those of us who have shoppedat Petco all these years when they ask
(00:43):
if you'd like to make a donationto the pet Co Foundation, you know,
give a dollar or whatever as you'remaking your purchase, that is what
peck COO Love is right. Forpeople who aren't yes, you have got
it on the notes there, justwe are a separate nonprofit and all of
those those small donations they really goto make big impact by bringing them all
(01:06):
together and into pet Go Love andwe use those to help animals. And
you know you talked about our namewas pet Goo Foundation. We really we
changed to pet Go Love. Ithink it's about three years ago now,
Okay, and it really because it'sit's because all what we are all about
is really harnessing that love that peoplehave for pets, turning that love into
(01:30):
good for pets. So it reallyjust spoke to who we are sure,
and I bet, I bet itmade a difference. I mean, having
the word foundation, everybody knows whatthat is, but I think having it
love because you're right, I mean, we all love our pets so much,
so I'm sure that actually and Imean I would be fascinating to see
(01:52):
if it increased the donations, butI bet it did. By changing the
name, well, it helped indonation, but it also helps people understand
school we words. So we arestructured as a nonprofit on a foundation,
and some of what we do isactually invest in other local orgs to make
(02:14):
a difference. Are doing great work, and I think we do it in
a very unique way, and wecan talk more about that. But the
other thing is a lot of timeswe actually are putting initiatives in play ourselves
when we find a need that's notbeing met and we create something to address
(02:34):
that need, are lost and foundinitiative where we can talk more in detail
about that right right coming up.But yeah, so well let's talk about
for some of some of the thingsthat you do. It's as simple as
that tell us what Peco Love does. Yeah, so we are all about
you know, if I look atwe are focused on three things that we
want to achieve. We want toend the youth unnecessary youth in aga of
(02:59):
shelter puts in our country. Thereare a lot of loving homes that we
just need to get the shelter petsinto those loving homes. Yes, a
lot of how we do that isworking with local organizations often supporting their work.
And when I say that our approachis unique, I think, you
know, this is what we do. So our team has really developed a
(03:22):
process where we can really evaluate organizations, what funding do they have, and
what's the impact that they're making withthat funding. And we're going to focus
on supporting those organizations that are makinga significant impact in saving lives. And
sometimes that means we're funding some organizationsthat maybe they don't look that pretty,
(03:46):
but they are just really doing amazingwork. They have a heart that people
there have a heart for saving lives, right and what they really just need
is more resources. And sometimes youjust don't know it until you get to
know those organizations a little bit more. So I said three things, and
then I went off on a longtime. That's okay. No, no,
(04:06):
no, it's no. Don't apologize. This is perfect because this is
what the whole purpose is is toeducate everyone who doesn't know, or maybe
who has a slight idea. Sono, no, no, it's perfect,
perfect, perfect because you explained itperfectly. Thank you. Yeah.
So, we want to end theeuphanasia of shelter pets in our country.
(04:26):
We want to make sure any lostpets is reunited with the families that love
them. Because I don't know aboutyou, but if I ever lost my
dog and I didn't find it,forget it, I don't know how I
would go on. Me too,No, me too, me too.
Yeah, And honestly, even ifthey found a new, loving home,
that's not the point. The pointis I want them to be in my
(04:47):
home at them. Correct. Youwant to make sure that happens? Correct?
Yeah, And I mean, yeah, go ahead, I'm sorry.
No, And then I was goingto say, the third thing that we
focus on is really making sure thatwe increase access to veterinary and care for
the pets that really needed. Isthe cost of veterninearying care rises. What
(05:08):
are the things that we can doto support more pet parents who may not
be able to afford that cost?Sure? And I feel like number three
also is kind of related to numberone, because if people could afford to
get their pets spayed and newtered,maybe we wouldn't have so many pets in
the shelters. I think you're absolutelyright, and people are surrendering, surrendering
(05:31):
pets because they know they need careand they can't afford. So you're seeing
a lot of the nonprofit organizations movingin that direction about how do we help
people keep their pets. We don'twant to take pets where people love them
just because they are facing financial challenges. So we're seeing a lot of animal
welfare organizations move in that direction aswell. Yeah, which is actually I
(05:57):
think is a big, big,big will be a huge help to people
so they can actually because I meantimes are hard, people lose their job,
they don't, you know, notthat the pet is the first thing
to go, but it's a considerationbecause they're worried about paying their mortgage or
their rent or putting food on thetable. But this way, it helps
them realize and because we know andmost people know that when you have a
(06:19):
pet, it's part of your family. So you're not going to give up
one of your children when you loseyour job, so you shouldn't have to
give up one of your you know, your pets as well. Absolutely right,
And in the end, helping uskeep our pests benefits us as individuals.
I mean, there is study afterstudy that have proven that pets improve
(06:41):
are physical and our mental health.So you know, think about it.
If there's a lot of initiatives rightnow that are focused on the fact that
perhaps we can keep down the costof human health care by making sure people
have pets, well that's a beautifulwill all the way around. No,
it's one hundred percent, because Iknow with pets it helps with senior citizens,
(07:04):
with people who live by themselves.I've spoken to so many veteran groups
where a lot of people who comehome with PTSD, rather than be on
you know, thirty five medications,they get a service dog and it completely
opens their life again and gives themtheir life back. So you're absolutely right.
(07:25):
It's pets do so much physically healthyou know, health wise for us
it's the the benefits of pets onour lives are it's just endless and so
you know, it is a mutuallybeneficial relationship. But I mean, honestly,
it's just so much more than that. It really I think pets just
bring love into our life so much. There's even there's even studies about how
(07:50):
they also bring us together and sometimesin this day of division, yes,
those are that's the one thing thatcan bring us together, whether it's you
know, race, social justice,equity, politics, everything. The thing
is everyone loves their pets. That'sright. Now, You're all come together
around that. And I think theyreally really breaks down the barriers that people
(08:13):
have right and starts conversations where maybeconversations wouldn't otherwise start. I've always said,
if you want to get legislation passed, I think, you know,
we should bring pets up to thehill and we'll get a lot of You
know, you're a very smart woman, because I agree with you. I
think that would definitely solve a lotof our issues for sure, because it
would definitely put people at ease becausethere would be a pet there, a
(08:35):
dog or cats. Ay. Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I
think a lot more would get accomplished. Absolutely. Oh, so we did
hit on something and I actually sawa fact that was shocking to me.
That nearly ten million pets go missingeach year. And I know we talked
(08:56):
about that, but we touched onit before. That's a jaggering number,
and I didn't realize that it wasso many. I mean, that's that's
really tragic when I when you thinkabout it, ten million, that's yeah,
and people at least think it won'thappen to them, but in fact,
one in three pets will go missingin their lifetime. It's not going
(09:18):
to happen every day, but intheir lifetime, and well we need that
one time for it to really impactyour life. Sure, and yet so
many pets, and yet when welook at the way we've been focused on
reuniting pets. Microchips are absolutely important, and we always tell people they should
they should microchip their pets. Notevery pet is microchipped. A lot of
(09:41):
people don't keep it up to date. Well, yes, not to provide
alternative correct And in the day andage of technology, we're still telling people
to put a flyer on a telephonepole. So you're relying on people that
drive by where you put the flyerright right. So that is really that
is really why peco Love became focusedon fixed really providing a solution, a
(10:05):
community solution to this, and that'screating a national lost and found database that
uses image recognition technology to help usreunite pets. And so just think about
it. If everyone who lost apet and everyone who found a pet put
them into one central place, wewould be reuniting more loss pets. It's
(10:30):
like if everyone used the same telephone, poles drove by it and put up
the fire, we would be reunitingmore loss pets. And so this is
I think an important initiative, agame changing initiative. We're already working with
shelters around the country that makes tomake sure that if pets have already gotten
(10:50):
to the shelter, those pets endup in our system and it's automated.
But it also enables people in communitiesto just contact one of the another directly
and reunite the pets in their community, so you don't even have to worry
about your pet ever getting into ashelter. And because a lot of those
shelters are already very overwhelmed, wedon't need to put that on them.
(11:13):
Let's all help each other, letneighbor to neighbor help each other, and
let's reunite our pets. Well thissounds like I mean, this really is
like the perfect solution. I justsaw. It's funny that you say that,
because I just it was just arecent video and I think it was
from the city shelter and a familyhad they were on vacation and maybe it
was like earlier this year. Theywere on vacation, the dog sitter lost
(11:37):
the dog, and the dog woundup in the city shelter, and so
they went to an adoption event nowfrom wintertime almost summer, and as soon
as they saw the dog and theysaid, you know, that dog looks
like our dog, whatever the namewas. And there's a video. I
just saw it the other day.It was just like a babe cry because
when the dog saw the people whowere looking at it saying, I think
(12:00):
that's our dog, the dog lostits mind because it was its owners.
I think that may have been atour New York City adoption events the prior
year, because this exactly, thissituation exactly happened. Okay, you know
we also one of the things PecoLove does is is, you know,
put on these mega adoption events aroundthe country, and in New York City
(12:22):
was in a Union Square just pastyear over two hundred and fifty adoptions.
But the year before that we didhave someone come and they were they were
looking to adopted pet because it hadbeen a while, and they saw their
own pets. It must have beenyeah, oh my gosh, just an
amazing story. And when you thinkabout that, you know, this is
(12:45):
just something that we know there's probablypets being adopted that already have families.
Let's get them to their family.Sure that loved them, you know,
Yeah, And it's so funny becausethat probably I mean, I just saw
it. So it's great that it'smaking the rounds again because it's actually perfect
timing for what we're talking about forPet Love Lost. You know, if
(13:07):
all the dogs get onto and it'sfor cats too, correct or is it
just it's yeah, yeah, dogsand cats, Dogs and cats, and
it's funny. Yeah, people don'tfocus as much on cats. They think
they're going to come home and stuff. And sometimes cats do come home,
right, but not always? Yeah, not always. And we actually have
just as many people using Petco LoveLoss for cats. Is you for dogs?
(13:30):
We've already reunited forty six thousand petson the system, but we are
just getting started and a lot ofthe shelters are on board now. And
I think the more people utilize thesystem, the more lives we're going to
say, we're going to keep populationsdown in shelters. That'll give them room
to focus on the dogs that reallydo need homes and the cats that really
(13:52):
do need home. Right, it'sjust a win all the way around.
Yeah, it definitely is. Sofor someone who's listening right now has a
dog or a cat, they canjust go to petcoloveloss dot org and upload
a photo and information. Is itthat easy? It's that easy? And
then if they go missing, it'sjust a click of a button. You
(14:13):
would just hit it I've been lost. It'll go into our system and then
if someone finds it, it'll matchthem up. And if you don't.
You know a lot of people areworried about sharing contact information. You can
chat within our system. You cantalk to another and you can come and
then you know, really verify everythingand then meet up with the person.
So it's that easy. Wow.Wow, And this is and I mean
(14:37):
approaching the fourth of July. Asmuch as people should know better to keep
their animals safe inside, but sometimeswith you know, fireworks and firecrackers,
pets get out because they're frightened.So this is this is perfect. Like
right now, as you're listening tothis and you have a pet, a
dogg or a cat, you shoulddefinitely go to petcoloveloss dot org and just
(14:58):
register your pet just because better safethan sorry. As they say, absolutely,
I one percent agree with you.Wow wow wow, So this is
actually you said it's pretty new,this whole technology. Yeah, it's a
few years into it and we continuallymake changes to improve it. So the
(15:22):
more most recently the team that weare integrating pets that are in the neighbors
app. People are posting lost petsin the neighbors app that's affiliated with your
Ring Cameras, and then we recentlyalso began an integration with next door.
And so the goal is wherever yourpet is, we want to make sure
(15:43):
it gets into our database and there'sone central place, so people will post
a lot of places. We justwant to make sure that they all find
their way into Pecko Love Loss becausethat's when we're going to reunite more lost
pets. Wow, difficult if everyone'sposting twenty different places, but the people
who lost the pet and the peoplewho found it aren't posting in the same
place. Correct. We want tomake sure everyone gets into one place,
(16:07):
right, like a big it's likeone big universal phone book of all the
pets. See, I mean,you know, just to make an old
school a little bit. It's likea big giant phone book with every single
pet his photo is and information.So this way we hope that it never
happens that someone loses their pet.But things do happen. Unfortunately, accidents
(16:30):
happened. I love to say ithas never happened to me, but right,
no, me neither. But stillit doesn't matter. Yeah, we're
just two people. Oh no thatActually it has happened to me, Marie.
I you know, one of mydogs got out of the fence and
didn't even know he got out ofit, and thankfully I was able to
find him. But I think I'ma pretty darn responsible pet owner and it
(16:52):
has happened to me. So thingscan happen. No things can happen,
It's true, and it's really it'sno strike against what type of pet who
you are, because like you said, of course you're an excellent one.
We know you are. So itjust it happens. They're they're animals.
Things happen all the time. Sobetter safe than sorry, especially with you
know, the fourth of July comingand summer vacations. If you take your
(17:15):
pets with you, you know manypeople I've done it, take you know
it, take my dog all thetime on vacations with me, and you
just never know, even like beingin a strange place, if you lose
your dog, well, if yourdog is registered at petcoloveloss dot org,
better chances that you'll be going backhome with your pet. So that's right,
it's great, so great, okay, And you know, of course
(17:37):
I always look to like kind ofthe call to action for my listeners who
are listening and well, how canI help? How can I help?
So if they have pets, theyshould definitely register their pet. But also
you survive by donations, yes wedo, and anyone can donate to petco
(18:00):
I'm going on petcolove dot org andwe also just I also just always recommend
people donate to their local shelter,volunteer foster help your local organizations too,
we're all in this together, andwe're all in it for one reason,
and that's to help the pets mostin needs. So wherever you want to,
(18:21):
you know, focus your efforts on. We just encourage everyone to do
something right. Exactly well, SuzanneCochd. I appreciate you and all that
you do and all of your knowledgeand information and sharing it with us today,
and I definitely will talk to you. I want to talk to you
again because I really do love petco love so much. So please let's
(18:41):
talk again in the near future andyou can tell me more things that are
going on with you. Absolutely Iwould love to do that. Thank you
Maria for having us
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. Whata great idea on iHeartRadio. Welcome to
Maria's Mutts and Stuff and with me. I'm so very very happy. She
is actually the president of peck coLove. It is Suzanne Cogut. So,
(00:22):
Suzanne, thank you for chatting withme today. I'm excited to talk
to you. Well, thanks forhaving me. I'm excited to be here
absolutely so. For those who aren'tsure, so pet COO Love is actually
was originally pet Co Foundation that wasfounded back in nineteen ninety nine. And
for those of us who have shoppedat Petco all these years when they ask
(00:43):
if you'd like to make a donationto the pet Co Foundation, you know,
give a dollar or whatever as you'remaking your purchase, that is what
peck COO Love is right. Forpeople who aren't yes, you have got
it on the notes there, justwe are a separate nonprofit and all of
those those small donations they really goto make big impact by bringing them all
(01:06):
together and into pet Go Love andwe use those to help animals. And
you know you talked about our namewas pet Goo Foundation. We really we
changed to pet Go Love. Ithink it's about three years ago now,
Okay, and it really because it'sit's because all what we are all about
is really harnessing that love that peoplehave for pets, turning that love into
(01:30):
good for pets. So it reallyjust spoke to who we are sure,
and I bet, I bet itmade a difference. I mean, having
the word foundation, everybody knows whatthat is, but I think having it
love because you're right, I mean, we all love our pets so much,
so I'm sure that actually and Imean I would be fascinating to see
(01:52):
if it increased the donations, butI bet it did. By changing the
name, well, it helped indonation, but it also helps people understand
school we words. So we arestructured as a nonprofit on a foundation,
and some of what we do isactually invest in other local orgs to make
(02:14):
a difference. Are doing great work, and I think we do it in
a very unique way, and wecan talk more about that. But the
other thing is a lot of timeswe actually are putting initiatives in play ourselves
when we find a need that's notbeing met and we create something to address
(02:34):
that need, are lost and foundinitiative where we can talk more in detail
about that right right coming up.But yeah, so well let's talk about
for some of some of the thingsthat you do. It's as simple as
that tell us what Peco Love does. Yeah, so we are all about
you know, if I look atwe are focused on three things that we
want to achieve. We want toend the youth unnecessary youth in aga of
(02:59):
shelter puts in our country. Thereare a lot of loving homes that we
just need to get the shelter petsinto those loving homes. Yes, a
lot of how we do that isworking with local organizations often supporting their work.
And when I say that our approachis unique, I think, you
know, this is what we do. So our team has really developed a
(03:22):
process where we can really evaluate organizations, what funding do they have, and
what's the impact that they're making withthat funding. And we're going to focus
on supporting those organizations that are makinga significant impact in saving lives. And
sometimes that means we're funding some organizationsthat maybe they don't look that pretty,
(03:46):
but they are just really doing amazingwork. They have a heart that people
there have a heart for saving lives, right and what they really just need
is more resources. And sometimes youjust don't know it until you get to
know those organizations a little bit more. So I said three things, and
then I went off on a longtime. That's okay. No, no,
(04:06):
no, it's no. Don't apologize. This is perfect because this is
what the whole purpose is is toeducate everyone who doesn't know, or maybe
who has a slight idea. Sono, no, no, it's perfect,
perfect, perfect because you explained itperfectly. Thank you. Yeah.
So, we want to end theeuphanasia of shelter pets in our country.
(04:26):
We want to make sure any lostpets is reunited with the families that love
them. Because I don't know aboutyou, but if I ever lost my
dog and I didn't find it,forget it, I don't know how I
would go on. Me too,No, me too, me too.
Yeah, And honestly, even ifthey found a new, loving home,
that's not the point. The pointis I want them to be in my
(04:47):
home at them. Correct. Youwant to make sure that happens? Correct?
Yeah, And I mean, yeah, go ahead, I'm sorry.
No, And then I was goingto say, the third thing that we
focus on is really making sure thatwe increase access to veterinary and care for
the pets that really needed. Isthe cost of veterninearying care rises. What
(05:08):
are the things that we can doto support more pet parents who may not
be able to afford that cost?Sure? And I feel like number three
also is kind of related to numberone, because if people could afford to
get their pets spayed and newtered,maybe we wouldn't have so many pets in
the shelters. I think you're absolutelyright, and people are surrendering, surrendering
(05:31):
pets because they know they need careand they can't afford. So you're seeing
a lot of the nonprofit organizations movingin that direction about how do we help
people keep their pets. We don'twant to take pets where people love them
just because they are facing financial challenges. So we're seeing a lot of animal
welfare organizations move in that direction aswell. Yeah, which is actually I
(05:57):
think is a big, big,big will be a huge help to people
so they can actually because I meantimes are hard, people lose their job,
they don't, you know, notthat the pet is the first thing
to go, but it's a considerationbecause they're worried about paying their mortgage or
their rent or putting food on thetable. But this way, it helps
them realize and because we know andmost people know that when you have a
(06:19):
pet, it's part of your family. So you're not going to give up
one of your children when you loseyour job, so you shouldn't have to
give up one of your you know, your pets as well. Absolutely right,
And in the end, helping uskeep our pests benefits us as individuals.
I mean, there is study afterstudy that have proven that pets improve
(06:41):
are physical and our mental health.So you know, think about it.
If there's a lot of initiatives rightnow that are focused on the fact that
perhaps we can keep down the costof human health care by making sure people
have pets, well that's a beautifulwill all the way around. No,
it's one hundred percent, because Iknow with pets it helps with senior citizens,
(07:04):
with people who live by themselves.I've spoken to so many veteran groups
where a lot of people who comehome with PTSD, rather than be on
you know, thirty five medications,they get a service dog and it completely
opens their life again and gives themtheir life back. So you're absolutely right.
(07:25):
It's pets do so much physically healthyou know, health wise for us
it's the the benefits of pets onour lives are it's just endless and so
you know, it is a mutuallybeneficial relationship. But I mean, honestly,
it's just so much more than that. It really I think pets just
bring love into our life so much. There's even there's even studies about how
(07:50):
they also bring us together and sometimesin this day of division, yes,
those are that's the one thing thatcan bring us together, whether it's you
know, race, social justice,equity, politics, everything. The thing
is everyone loves their pets. That'sright. Now, You're all come together
around that. And I think theyreally really breaks down the barriers that people
(08:13):
have right and starts conversations where maybeconversations wouldn't otherwise start. I've always said,
if you want to get legislation passed, I think, you know,
we should bring pets up to thehill and we'll get a lot of You
know, you're a very smart woman, because I agree with you. I
think that would definitely solve a lotof our issues for sure, because it
would definitely put people at ease becausethere would be a pet there, a
(08:35):
dog or cats. Ay. Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I
think a lot more would get accomplished. Absolutely. Oh, so we did
hit on something and I actually sawa fact that was shocking to me.
That nearly ten million pets go missingeach year. And I know we talked
(08:56):
about that, but we touched onit before. That's a jaggering number,
and I didn't realize that it wasso many. I mean, that's that's
really tragic when I when you thinkabout it, ten million, that's yeah,
and people at least think it won'thappen to them, but in fact,
one in three pets will go missingin their lifetime. It's not going
(09:18):
to happen every day, but intheir lifetime, and well we need that
one time for it to really impactyour life. Sure, and yet so
many pets, and yet when welook at the way we've been focused on
reuniting pets. Microchips are absolutely important, and we always tell people they should
they should microchip their pets. Notevery pet is microchipped. A lot of
(09:41):
people don't keep it up to date. Well, yes, not to provide
alternative correct And in the day andage of technology, we're still telling people
to put a flyer on a telephonepole. So you're relying on people that
drive by where you put the flyerright right. So that is really that
is really why peco Love became focusedon fixed really providing a solution, a
(10:05):
community solution to this, and that'screating a national lost and found database that
uses image recognition technology to help usreunite pets. And so just think about
it. If everyone who lost apet and everyone who found a pet put
them into one central place, wewould be reuniting more loss pets. It's
(10:30):
like if everyone used the same telephone, poles drove by it and put up
the fire, we would be reunitingmore loss pets. And so this is
I think an important initiative, agame changing initiative. We're already working with
shelters around the country that makes tomake sure that if pets have already gotten
(10:50):
to the shelter, those pets endup in our system and it's automated.
But it also enables people in communitiesto just contact one of the another directly
and reunite the pets in their community, so you don't even have to worry
about your pet ever getting into ashelter. And because a lot of those
shelters are already very overwhelmed, wedon't need to put that on them.
(11:13):
Let's all help each other, letneighbor to neighbor help each other, and
let's reunite our pets. Well thissounds like I mean, this really is
like the perfect solution. I justsaw. It's funny that you say that,
because I just it was just arecent video and I think it was
from the city shelter and a familyhad they were on vacation and maybe it
was like earlier this year. Theywere on vacation, the dog sitter lost
(11:37):
the dog, and the dog woundup in the city shelter, and so
they went to an adoption event nowfrom wintertime almost summer, and as soon
as they saw the dog and theysaid, you know, that dog looks
like our dog, whatever the namewas. And there's a video. I
just saw it the other day.It was just like a babe cry because
when the dog saw the people whowere looking at it saying, I think
(12:00):
that's our dog, the dog lostits mind because it was its owners.
I think that may have been atour New York City adoption events the prior
year, because this exactly, thissituation exactly happened. Okay, you know
we also one of the things PecoLove does is is, you know,
put on these mega adoption events aroundthe country, and in New York City
(12:22):
was in a Union Square just pastyear over two hundred and fifty adoptions.
But the year before that we didhave someone come and they were they were
looking to adopted pet because it hadbeen a while, and they saw their
own pets. It must have beenyeah, oh my gosh, just an
amazing story. And when you thinkabout that, you know, this is
(12:45):
just something that we know there's probablypets being adopted that already have families.
Let's get them to their family.Sure that loved them, you know,
Yeah, And it's so funny becausethat probably I mean, I just saw
it. So it's great that it'smaking the rounds again because it's actually perfect
timing for what we're talking about forPet Love Lost. You know, if
(13:07):
all the dogs get onto and it'sfor cats too, correct or is it
just it's yeah, yeah, dogsand cats, Dogs and cats, and
it's funny. Yeah, people don'tfocus as much on cats. They think
they're going to come home and stuff. And sometimes cats do come home,
right, but not always? Yeah, not always. And we actually have
just as many people using Petco LoveLoss for cats. Is you for dogs?
(13:30):
We've already reunited forty six thousand petson the system, but we are
just getting started and a lot ofthe shelters are on board now. And
I think the more people utilize thesystem, the more lives we're going to
say, we're going to keep populationsdown in shelters. That'll give them room
to focus on the dogs that reallydo need homes and the cats that really
(13:52):
do need home. Right, it'sjust a win all the way around.
Yeah, it definitely is. Sofor someone who's listening right now has a
dog or a cat, they canjust go to petcoloveloss dot org and upload
a photo and information. Is itthat easy? It's that easy? And
then if they go missing, it'sjust a click of a button. You
(14:13):
would just hit it I've been lost. It'll go into our system and then
if someone finds it, it'll matchthem up. And if you don't.
You know a lot of people areworried about sharing contact information. You can
chat within our system. You cantalk to another and you can come and
then you know, really verify everythingand then meet up with the person.
So it's that easy. Wow.Wow, And this is and I mean
(14:37):
approaching the fourth of July. Asmuch as people should know better to keep
their animals safe inside, but sometimeswith you know, fireworks and firecrackers,
pets get out because they're frightened.So this is this is perfect. Like
right now, as you're listening tothis and you have a pet, a
dogg or a cat, you shoulddefinitely go to petcoloveloss dot org and just
(14:58):
register your pet just because better safethan sorry. As they say, absolutely,
I one percent agree with you.Wow wow wow, So this is
actually you said it's pretty new,this whole technology. Yeah, it's a
few years into it and we continuallymake changes to improve it. So the
(15:22):
more most recently the team that weare integrating pets that are in the neighbors
app. People are posting lost petsin the neighbors app that's affiliated with your
Ring Cameras, and then we recentlyalso began an integration with next door.
And so the goal is wherever yourpet is, we want to make sure
(15:43):
it gets into our database and there'sone central place, so people will post
a lot of places. We justwant to make sure that they all find
their way into Pecko Love Loss becausethat's when we're going to reunite more lost
pets. Wow, difficult if everyone'sposting twenty different places, but the people
who lost the pet and the peoplewho found it aren't posting in the same
place. Correct. We want tomake sure everyone gets into one place,
(16:07):
right, like a big it's likeone big universal phone book of all the
pets. See, I mean,you know, just to make an old
school a little bit. It's likea big giant phone book with every single
pet his photo is and information.So this way we hope that it never
happens that someone loses their pet.But things do happen. Unfortunately, accidents
(16:30):
happened. I love to say ithas never happened to me, but right,
no, me neither. But stillit doesn't matter. Yeah, we're
just two people. Oh no thatActually it has happened to me, Marie.
I you know, one of mydogs got out of the fence and
didn't even know he got out ofit, and thankfully I was able to
find him. But I think I'ma pretty darn responsible pet owner and it
(16:52):
has happened to me. So thingscan happen. No things can happen,
It's true, and it's really it'sno strike against what type of pet who
you are, because like you said, of course you're an excellent one.
We know you are. So itjust it happens. They're they're animals.
Things happen all the time. Sobetter safe than sorry, especially with you
know, the fourth of July comingand summer vacations. If you take your
(17:15):
pets with you, you know manypeople I've done it, take you know
it, take my dog all thetime on vacations with me, and you
just never know, even like beingin a strange place, if you lose
your dog, well, if yourdog is registered at petcoloveloss dot org,
better chances that you'll be going backhome with your pet. So that's right,
it's great, so great, okay, And you know, of course
(17:37):
I always look to like kind ofthe call to action for my listeners who
are listening and well, how canI help? How can I help?
So if they have pets, theyshould definitely register their pet. But also
you survive by donations, yes wedo, and anyone can donate to petco
(18:00):
I'm going on petcolove dot org andwe also just I also just always recommend
people donate to their local shelter,volunteer foster help your local organizations too,
we're all in this together, andwe're all in it for one reason,
and that's to help the pets mostin needs. So wherever you want to,
(18:21):
you know, focus your efforts on. We just encourage everyone to do
something right. Exactly well, SuzanneCochd. I appreciate you and all that
you do and all of your knowledgeand information and sharing it with us today,
and I definitely will talk to you. I want to talk to you
again because I really do love petco love so much. So please let's
(18:41):
talk again in the near future andyou can tell me more things that are
going on with you. Absolutely Iwould love to do that. Thank you
Maria for having us
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