Yesterday, July 23, 2015, BarkHappy, a location-based app that allows dog owners to search and meet-up, made its debut in Austin, Texas. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. It lets owners search and discover other dogs in their area through the use of geolocation. Dog owners can use the app to meet new friends and find new playmates for their pooch.
BarkHappy also goes one step further and helps users find dog-friendly places like hotels, bars, restaurants, parks, and more. The interactive dog-friendly map shows the location of the establishment and whether any of the users’ acquaintances are there. The goal of the app is to help dog owners enjoy a more active and social lifestyle with their pet.
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Ninis Samuel, founder and CEO of BarkHappy, says that the company believes that dogs are happiest when they are out and about being social with their humans. He also says that dog owners typically end up meeting in random situations anyway because they all have something in common, their dogs. With the help of the BarkHappy app, these connections won’t have to be random anymore.
First the user will create their own profile, and then one for their dog(s). After filling in basic information like their dog’s age and breed, they can also include specific details about their pet like whether they prefer playing with large or small dogs. Once they get inside the app, users can see all the dogs that are nearby and view their profiles. Then they can decide whether they want to connect with them in one of many ways.
Users can send a quick “wag”, similar to poking someone on Facebook, send the other dog owner a message, or invite them to meet for a playdate. The invite feature can even find the most ideal dog-friendly half-way point between the two dogs, so owners won’t have to deal with the hassle of finding a mid-point themselves.
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The app also sends dog owners a list of “daily matches” for their dog. These are potentially compatible dogs in their area that may get along well with their dog based on the information the other owner provided.
Every dog-friendly location has its own profile stating its amenities and pet policy. The app is also community driven, so users and business owners can manually add an establishment to share with others.
BarkHappy is already available in Austin with other cities expected very soon. Dog owners in other cities can sign up to be notified when the app launches in their area. BarkHappy is free to download.
