SAN FRANCISCO — October 15, 2013
The American Humane Society estimates that five million pets enter US shelters annually. More than half of them are euthanized, costing taxpayers $2 billion. The team behind Petcube, a smart gadget that allows users to watch, talk and play with pets, intends to change that by placing devices in shelters across the US. Today, Petcube announces the first animal care organizations that will kick off the partnership: Gifford Cat Shelter, Red Door Animal Shelter, Dogs without Borders and ROMP Italian Greyhound Rescue.
With 20 days to go in the Kickstarter campaign, Petcube has exceeded their funding goal 160% for a total of $160k. Hitting their goal quickly allowed the team to focus on how to make the technology work for groups outside of consumers. Partnering with animal care organizations was a win on all fronts.
“It was shocking to learn that Americans pay $2 billion per year for euthanization of animals who could find new homes,” CEO Yaroslav Azhnyuk said. “We believe that technology can save these lives and cut this spending. Petcube is on a mission to boost shelter adoption rates and reduce animal cruelty.”
Having Petcube in shelters will allow people to play with dogs and cats that may otherwise be left alone. Shelters can be a stressful environment for companion animals, so the hope is that the additional interaction will help alleviate some of the anxiety. If a viewer likes a certain pet they can contact the shelter to discuss adoption. It’s not only the pets and shelters that will benefit: people who don’t own a pet of their own will have the opportunity to virtually play with pets. Access to shelter devices will be open to the public to give anyone the opportunity to interact with pets through the app.
Petcube is available now for pre-order on Kickstarter for $149. The device will be available for retail for $199 in May 2014. Donations are against Kickstarter rules; however, the Petcube team encourages individuals to gift devices to their local shelters.
Check out the Petcube video here. Additional images can be found here.
About Petcube, Inc.:
Petcube is on a mission to provide smart gadgets that connect people to pets and keep those pets healthy and entertained. For more information, check out Petcube.net and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Media Contact:
Yaroslav Azhnyuk
CEO
yaroslav.azhnyuk@petcube.com