Gwanak-gu and PetNow Collaborate to Find Lost Pets

Gwanak-gu and PetNow Co., Ltd. Selected for Seoul City Testbed Demonstration Project for 'Biometric Animal Registration Service'
Easy Animal Registration Using AI-Enabled Platform, Facilitating Lost Animal Returns
Expect Improved Return Rates with 'Companion Animal Search Network' Establishment

Recently, as the companion animal population has reached 15 million, the perception that pets are no different from family members is growing.

The pet industry is expanding in various fields, from cultural activities such as pet-friendly restaurants and shopping malls to pet taxis and animal funerals.

In response, Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) is making every effort to promote animal registration and improve the return rate of lost animals by collaborating with PetNow, a biometric animal registration service developer located in the district.

The district and PetNow signed a “Business Agreement to Promote Animal Registration through Biometric Animal Registration” last April to provide services to residents, and this month, they achieved the honor of being selected for the Testbed Seoul Demonstration Project conducted by Seoul City.

The “Testbed Demonstration Project” is a program that provides private companies with innovative technologies related to the 4th Industrial Revolution the opportunity to demonstrate products and services aimed at solving urban problems and enhancing citizen convenience, supporting the commercialization of these products.

The selected project is PetNow’s “Smart City Construction Capable of Identifying Lost Pets through Artificial Intelligence (AI) Biometric Recognition,” with the district participating as the demonstration institution.

PetNow’s biometric technology involves an AI-powered biometric registration app that captures the animal’s nose print (nose wrinkles) to register and verify identity. This technology was recognized for its excellence in the field of animal biometric recognition, winning the CES Best Innovation Award in 2022.

This platform maximizes convenience for pet owners by allowing simple registration anywhere via mobile phone without the need to visit a hospital in person for animal identity registration.

In particular, by utilizing this platform, a “Pet Search Network” can be established to share real-time information such as ▲reports ▲sightings ▲return results in case of animal abandonment or loss incidents.

The district expects to further increase the return rate of lost animals by establishing a rapid communication system that can immediately notify shelters and animal-related organizations upon discovery of lost animals.

Park Junhee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, stated, “Since pets are like family, this demonstration project, which can significantly increase the return rate of lost animals, is meaningful,” and added, “We will continue to strive to improve administration by utilizing excellent resources and technologies through cooperation between the public and private sectors.”