Enlarge image
Mum with a dog in Great Britain: It is not known whether the dog profiles also include kitschy beach photos
Photo: Owen Humphreys / dpa
In summer, German animal shelters fill up again and again with pets that have been left behind by travelers at rest stops or train stations.
This year the situation could be particularly precarious.
Individual animal shelters are already reporting that their facilities are particularly full because animals that were purchased during the pandemic are being given back.
The Munich animal shelter has now found a creative way to pass on as many of their animals as possible to new owners.
It will rely on the dating app Tinder in the future.
Especially animals that have been in the home for a long time should be conveyed, as a spokeswoman for the animal welfare association said on Thursday.
At the beginning, 15 animals are to be given a profile including a photo and description, the implementation is to be in the style of the dating portal Tinder.
When it comes to a "match" with a potential owner, a chat robot starts the conversation.
"In the chat first questions are clarified, for example whether the person owns a garden," said the spokeswoman.
The campaign, which started on Thursday, takes place under the title "The Purrfect Match" and is supported by a marketing agency.
The first date should take place in the animal shelter, accompanied by animal keepers.
After an intensive phase of getting to know each other, it should be decided how well the animal and potential future owner actually fit together.
hpp / dpa
