Woof project

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Welcome to my dog adoption project, a mobile software application that helps prospective owners and shelters in Germany with the adoption process for rescue dogs.

My Hungarian girlfriend and I want to adopt a dog, preferably from Eastern Europe, where many live-in desperate conditions and give him or her the untroubled home it deserves. The idea came after looking after our friend's dog Monyok, a cairn terrier, a breed from my home country of Scotland who sadly passed away at the start of 2021. 

 
During the adoption process we have encountered issues whilst searching some online platforms. The task of searching through multiple websites, the poor functionality and lack of information (understandable as they are so busy and overworked) added not only to the stress of the adoption process but also made me realize I could bring value by utilizing my skills as a UX Designer to make the process a more efficient easier and enjoyable experience for both the shelters and the new owner.

 
I have started to research the situation in Hungary and Romania, where there are many stray and rescued dogs. When they are caught or taken from unfit owners. If they are lucky, they are taken into one of the small, volunteer-based shelters, where workers are working incredibly hard with little funding and support from outside assistance. If they are unlucky, they get enclosed into crowded cages and are mistreated, and often with little or no medical care.

 
I decided I will use my skills as a designer to make a difference, and I am taking the step of designing a mobile app which makes the process of adopting a dog easier for both the future owners and the shelters. The app will be based around a Tinder style dating platform and form a central hub, where owners and shelters can fill out their requirements in an easy-to-use standardized format in multiple languages. It will be free to use for the shelters and take the stress and complexity of advertising a dog away from their everyday duties. In turn the process will be much easier for the potential owner to find the dog they wish to adopt. Both shelters and owners will have the opportunity to review the process and take the worry out of adopting or giving a dog up for adoption to the wrong person.

 
In the first instance the app will focus on the adoption process from Hungary to Germany and my aim is to prove the concept by seeing a successful adoption process by an owner in Germany from a shelter in Hungary whilst using the app.

In the next phase, I would like to widen the adoption area and create further features within the app.

I am currently seeking people with experience in adopting a dog to conduct interviews, surveys, and tell me their story to assist in making this project a reality. I will also be running a crowdfunding project to help with the research and development of the app. You can find more information on this later.

The goal is to assist in finding more dogs, happier homes.