Vet assistant uses Facebook to reunite lost pets, owners
COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Andrew Proffitt is in the business of saving pets’ lives. One aspect has him in a veterinarian’s office in that role. The other has him updating a Facebook page he created to link lost pets to their owners.
“Lost and Found Pets of the Tri-Cities” has been up and running for six months now and was created out of purpose, according to Proffitt.
“There was a real need there, for a connection to connect the dots between pet and owner,” he said. “You have someone call in to our office, and they say they have found a pet and they do not know what to do other than take it to a shelter. I have nothing against shelters, but these are someone’s pets, and they are lost.
“You have the other side of it when someone calls and they are distraught about losing their dog or cat. It is a helpless feeling, but I decided to make something happen to make those situations come to a good conclusion.”
Proffitt, in fact, has just concluded meetings with officials with the Kingsport and Sullivan County animal shelters last week so that his Web site and their holding facilities can pool resources to help make connections to searching owners.
“This is a centralized way to kind of cut down on the amount of time a person can spend exhausting energy and power in what can be an upsetting situation. This is part of the veterinary business that goes unseen — the amount of people who go for weeks and months searching for that pet that they love,” Proffitt said.
Word is spreading fast across the social network as Lost and Found Pets of the Tri-Cities nears the “700 likes” plateau.
“Being in the industry, it has not been surprising to see how many pets have (been submitted to the page). What is surprising is the amount of support I have gotten. I owe those who hit that ‘like’ button all the thanks,” he said.
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