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A new app for pet owners born from Lost over 1,000 pets Marshall Fire is one of the first to help owners account for their pets during disasters and individual emergencies.
Launching for iPhone users later this month, PHaR, or Pet Help and Rescue, aims to connect pet owners with neighbors who can lend a hand in an emergency.
“The amount of communication on Dec. 30, 2021 was ridiculous, meaning it was very difficult to keep track of who needed what, when,” said Dave, a senior homeless resident. Crawford said.
Related: More than 1,000 pets die in Marshall fires, according to CU research, and authors want to help prevent future deaths
Crawford was at home during the fire and was able to safely evacuate the two cats before the house burned down. He tried to help other neighbors, but a 1-year-old German he could only save his one dog named Chief Shepherd.
“I didn’t know they needed help…I helped one dog,” he said.
More than 1,000 pets died in the fire, according to a CU Boulder and Rocky Mountain Medical Conservation Corps investigation. Many people were either at work or out of town, reports said. The situation was made even more difficult by the lack of a reporting system for pets, both while and after they had them.
Denver Post via RJ Sangosti/Media Newsgroup/Getty Images
After hearing stories from neighbors like Michael Neustaedter, Crawford realized there was something he could do.
Just two doors away from Crawford, Neustätter’s cat Kobe was trapped inside while he was out of town with his wife and child. While he was on the phone with the pet sitter, she was unable to contact the cat due to her traffic and flames.
“We’ve only lived here for a year. We thought we were friends with a lot of our neighbors, but we were like, ‘Oh my God, I don’t know any of our neighbors’ phone numbers.’ says Neustedter. “When I told Dave about this, he said, ‘Why don’t we have a way to signal neighbors and strangers to rescue our pets?’ I thought so”
Luckily, Crawford already had a job helping animals. He is the executive director of Colorado-based Animal Help Now, which helps rescue wildlife. He has been offering his own app for over ten years. After hearing stories of pets lost in a fire, Crawford knew his team could do something to improve pet communication.
“Mike’s experience really appealed to us. I live two houses down and I had the time, so I knew I needed this app,” he said.
Over the past 11 months, Crawford has worked with a team of 20+ volunteers across the country to develop the app. He also works with his neighbors like Neustedter.
“A lot of neighbors have influenced Dave’s work,” said Neustaedter.
For example, the stress of the situation played a big part in making the application as simple as possible. It is useful not only in the event of a disaster, but also for pet parents who are too busy to return home on time.
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“Marshall Fire conjures up the idea that these animals are totally dependent on us,” said Crawford.
Crawford said the app will collect detailed information from pet owners, which they will be able to use for individual emergencies.
“We would like to know what they look like. We need pictures. We want to know what their drugs are and where their hiding places are,” he said. I got
Neustedter knows apps like this have helped Kobe. He says it’s one of the many things that’s helping him move forward for now.
“Software and technology like this gives us the confidence to rebuild this house and call it home again,” says Neustedter.
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