Firu
Services: UI/UX Design
Timeline: 3 months
Firu is a dog finder app that connects potential adopters with local shelters, giving smaller shelters visibility and opportunity to get donations without having to spend too much on marketing. The adoption process itself is handled directly by each shelter, Firu ensures a seamless and respectful experience with a screening process for each potential adopter while giving people easy access to verified and trustworthy local shelters.
PROBLEM SPACE:
The dog adoption process in Canada feels overwhelming, time-consuming,
and discouraging for many users.
Existing platforms like Petfinder are U.S.-based and not fully optimized for
Canadian users
Potential adopters face unreliable search experiences, often turning to
multiple websites, Facebook groups, Craigslist, or Kijiji.
Local shelters and rescue organizations struggle to gain visibility for
adoptable dogs because they often don’t have marketing funds and it’s hard
for people to trust shelters.
Adoption screening processes are often manual, inconsistent, and require
repetitive communication (e.g., downloading forms, back-and-forth emails or
calls).
Shelters are often at full capacity and may rush the adoption process,
leading to potential mismatches between dogs and adopters.
How might we make it easier for people in Canada to find adoptable dogs while helping local shelters gain visibility and connect more dogs in need with loving families?
Research
Over the span of one week, I conducted 4 interviews and distributed a questionnaire across various Facebook Groups, receiving 6 responses. The interviews consisted of one dog walker who has adopted before, one shelter volunteer, one dog owner/non-adopter, and one adopter.
I found that local animal shelters struggle significantly with visibility. Larger organizations like the BC SPCA, which benefit from greater government funding, tend to dominate public awareness.
There is a clear opportunity to create a platform where smaller shelters can share their stories, values, and processes in a more transparent and engaging way.
The results also highlight the need to make the adoption process more accessible and balanced.
Overcrowded shelters often lead to mismatches between dogs and families, and while screening is essential, some shelters implement unnecessarily long processes. This creates barriers for well-intentioned adopters and, unfortunately, leaves many adoptable dogs without homes.
A more inclusive and streamlined approach could help connect the right families with the right pets, without compromising on care or compatibility.
