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Show HN: I Built an iOS app to locate stray animals by Ic3creaM

Show HN: I Built an iOS app to locate stray animals by Ic3creaM

Show HN: I Built an iOS app to locate stray animals by Ic3creaM

24 Comments

  • Post Author
    kennyloginz
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 2:16 am

    I hope this app isn’t available on the planet Melmac.

  • Post Author
    technol0gic
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 2:18 am

    live-action Pokemon Go

  • Post Author
    rpjt
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 2:20 am

    I see strays from time to time and I do often wonder if they belong to someone. Is the idea that I'd be able to report the stray on the app and hope that the owner has the app too and sees my report?

  • Post Author
    roegerle
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 2:44 am

    map won't load.

  • Post Author
    anmilu
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 3:03 am

    [dead]

  • Post Author
    october8140
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 3:23 am

    How do you prevent it being used to bait people down a dark alley?

  • Post Author
    naveed125
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 4:31 am

    Just wanted to say that i love your app's icon.

  • Post Author
    damion6
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 4:32 am

    Would you be open to Android? I love the idea

  • Post Author
    gunian
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 4:45 am

    [dead]

  • Post Author
    hnreader2024
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 5:52 am

    [dead]

  • Post Author
    crystaln
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 7:13 am

    This is really cute, however I have a hard time seeing a route to widespread adoption as a marketplace of source. I was going to suggest adding adoption and rescues, however there seem to be a number of highly rated apps in that space already.

    I would imagine the most useful function if a pet is lost or found would be to allow posting to places like NextDoor, printing posters, a contacting shelters, etc. and offering other support to people.

  • Post Author
    Tewboo
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 8:32 am

    Impressive work! It's great to see tech being used for a good cause. I've had a couple strays in my neighborhood, this could be a lifesaver.

  • Post Author
    InsideOutSanta
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 9:49 am

    I like the idea. Plenty of people everywhere keep an eye out for strays, and having an app to connect them would be valuable. The main issue is how to let them know that the app exists.

    Where I live, a slightly similar app (intended to connect lost pets with their owners) has found widespread local adoption. It is promoted by a local non-profit, so maybe partnerships with non-profits would allow you to find the audience that will appreciate something like this.

    Also, this needs an Android app. You need every user you can get to make it successful.

  • Post Author
    zombot
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 9:55 am

    This has to require some central server. If the app is free, how are hosting fees payed?

  • Post Author
    mvernano
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 10:15 am

    [flagged]

  • Post Author
    Brosper
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 11:07 am

    I know that US iOS is the dominant system, but shouldn't it be just a website with PWA??

  • Post Author
    upmostly
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 12:16 pm

    Just tried emailing you and your contact form doesn't work.

  • Post Author
    alp1n3_eth
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 12:24 pm

    This is one area where I'll actively discourage fragmentation of the existing ecosystem. Currently in the U.S. it's:

    1) PawBoost
    2) Facebook Groups (which PawBoost usually posts to as well)
    3) NextDoor

    Past that, the animal needs to be captured and checked for a chip. Having 10+ different apps to report lost animals essentially means there's zero point to posting to one in the first place, unless there is some distributed system they all would agree to operate on top of (maybe ATProto? idk).

  • Post Author
    laylower
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 12:30 pm

    Do you use google maps or openstreetmap?
    How are you dealing with data costs?
    Do you cache data once every day/week or do you have a real-time call for both the cats/dogs and the proximity to the phone/mob user?

  • Post Author
    araes
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 5:53 pm

    Somewhat tangentially related, yet several posters mention other apps in a similar category.

    Is there a way to browse / search the app store from a desktop? Every link just seems to go to an advertisement splash page, and search for "stray" does not even return the linked app.

    Found Lifestyle Apps [1] from StraySync's own "Lifestyle" category, yet only the top free apps to number 100 on desktop. Does not appear to show "PawBoost" or some of the other mentions.

    [1] https://apps.apple.com/us/charts/iphone/lifestyle-apps/6012?…

  • Post Author
    isjustintime
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 7:18 pm

    Neat idea! If you can, someone figure out how to get Nextdoor animal-posters to join and participate, this would be really useful. Last time I saw a dog on the street, I pulled over to catch the dog, re-installed Nextdoor, made a post, and brought the dog to the local shelter. It's hard to beat not only the neighborhood aspect of Nextdoor, but also just the volume and mental "this is where it goes" vibe. What's not hard to beat about Nextdoor is the NIMBY and triggering comments so you're halfway there, hah!

  • Post Author
    karlylamm
    Posted March 18, 2025 at 8:06 pm

    Nice work! Really great idea.

  • Post Author
    taishikato
    Posted March 19, 2025 at 5:28 am

    wow love the idea!

  • Post Author
    nextts
    Posted March 19, 2025 at 11:13 am

    I have rescued 2 stray (lost really) animals. A dog I took to the vet. And a bird I was about to take to the vet. Heard the person down the street calling for them. But yeah. Vets! Microchips! Unless you are scared of the animal then fair enough use an app.

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