14 DAY TRIAL // Holger Laufenberg, a California-based developer whose dog went missing one day decided to code an app that acts as a dog's ID, medical info, insurance card, social life and travel guide.
Sensing the need of a solution to safely and conveniently store all of this information in one place and always at the user’s fingertips, Laufenberg created My Dog, a free application available from the iTunes App Store.
But it wasn’t only until his own dog went missing that he saw the necessity of this piece of software.
"A panic struck me, and I first ran around the neighborhood, than started Googling and calling all the vets and shelters nearby,” Laufenberg relates his story.
“Over and over again, I was asked the same questions about what breed Dax is, whether he is taking any medications, has allergies, what he looked like, in case someone would bring him in," said Laufenberg.
The former ad executive fails to note whether he eventually got reunited with his beloved pet, but does add, "I was going crazy, and thought there must be some better way to do this, and I set out to create an app that covers every lifestyle aspect of dog ownership. I wanted to create an app my dog would want me to download.”
As such, his My Dog app allows dog owners to create and share a personalized profile of their dogs, including photos of medical and vaccination records.
The profile includes a picture, detailed description, information about the dog's owner and emergency contact information,
Details on vaccinations and medical history with iCal integration can also be included.
The free app offers a national pet service directory and pet travel guide, as well as social networking features.
Finally, each dog profile can be emailed directly from the app, whether it’s to a dog trainer, daycare and boarding facility, or even local rescue organizations and shelters.
"I live in California, but my dogs go where I go. Sometimes I need to find daycare centers to put them, or need a sitter or to show vaccination records. Now I have all that with me," Laufenberg said.