Pet-finding software available ahead of firework festivities

Aiken County residents can sign up for a pet database that helps families reunite with lost pets.

Petco Love is a nonprofit that created the Love Lost software, a useful tool around July 4 when fireworks scare animals and cause many pets to end up missing.

Pet owners can upload pictures of their pets when they are safe at home, or log onto the app after their dog or cat goes missing and post a photo that can be used to locate them using their picture on the app or website.

People who find pets the suspect of being lost can also upload photos to the Petco Love Lost app or website in an effort to locate the animal's owner.

"Our dedication to the pets in our care knows no bounds,” Director of Aiken County Animal Services Officer Paige Bayne said in a news release. “That commitment extends to helping lost pets across our community find their way back to their loving families.”

According to a news release, Love Lost has reunited 50,000 pets with their owners across the country.

Petco recommends registering all pets to Love Lost as soon as possible should anything happen to them.

“With Love Lost, this innovative pet-finding database, we're filled with optimism about the potential for even more joyful reunions right here in Aiken County,” Bayne said. “This free tool will significantly enhance our ability to bring pets home.”