Town of Banff

New website feature connects lost pets with owners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 13, 2011                                                  

Banff, AB – Lassie would have come home a lot sooner if little Timmy had been able to register her with the Town of Banff’s new website service for lost pets.
   
The Pet Connect application, being launched this week, is a map-based service that allows lost and found pets to be returned to their owners quickly and easily. While the service saves the Town’s  Bylaw Services department time by reducing the amount of calls to respond to, its real value is saving pets and their owners the stress of being lost. It also saves pet owners possible fines and sheltering costs.
    The service works when someone finds a lost pet wearing a Town of Banff pet licence tag.  The finder can visit banff.ca and enter the tag number on the Lost Pet page. The tag number search will provide data including a description of the pet, the pet’s name, the contact number of the pet’s owner, and even a generalized map location of the pet’s home. The finder can then contact the pet’s owner to arrange for a safe return home.
   
To participate in Pet Connect, owners should visit the Lost Pets page on banff.ca and follow the link to the Pet Connect to complete the online authorization form. Or, owners can stop by Town Hall in person to complete the form. The authorization form allows the Town to post the pet owner’s contact number on banff.ca.  New Pet Connect applicants will be updated in the Pet Connect program once a week.
  
For more information, contact Bylaw Services or visit www.banff.ca/town-hall/bylaw-services/lost-pets.htm.


Media Contact
Diana Waltmann,
Manager of Communications
Direct: 403.762.1207   
Cell: 403.431.2307
Email: diana.waltmann@banff.ca