When storms strike, they do more than damage homes and flood streets. They separate pets from the people who love them. For those who have experienced Florida’s hurricane seasons, the images stay with you—dogs behind fences, cats carried to safety by strangers, families searching in the aftermath. Halifax Humane Society is determined to change that.
This year, in a first-of-its-kind partnership with Petco Love Lost, the organization launched a countywide, AI-powered pet reunification program to get lost pets home faster, often before they ever enter an animal facility.
“This three-minute action could literally save your pet’s life before they ever enter a shelter,” said Sean Hawkins, CEO of Halifax Humane Society.
The platform uses facial recognition software to match photos of missing pets with those found or brought into shelters. Pet owners upload a headshot of their pet to PetcoLoveLost.org with contact info. If the pet goes missing, a finder can upload a photo and the system scans for matches across a national network of 3,000 shelters.
“Overall last year, 62 percent of the animals entering our shelter were strays,” said Hawkins. “And so, you know, the vast majority of pets who end up in our shelter arrived without an owner.”
Many were not surrendered or brought in by someone who found them. They came alone—no tags, no microchips, no one searching. Of those, only seven percent were returned to families.
“That’s a pretty dismal statistic,” Hawkins said.
He explained that many pet owners don’t realize their animal is missing or don’t know where to start. Lost pets often go unclaimed. This system, he emphasized, is designed to close that gap—faster, easier, without delay.
Unlike microchips, which require scanners and often lack current info, Petco Love Lost is free, simple, and works from any smartphone. Halifax Humane Society automatically uploads every animal they intake. But the key to success lies with the public.
“Every pet in Volusia County should be registered in this free system before a storm hits,” Hawkins said. “The more pets we have in the database, the more reunifications we can make happen right in the community without pets ever needing to come to the shelter.”
Volusia County: A National First
“Petco Love Lost is being used successfully in thousands of cities across the country,” said Gina Knepp, National Program Manager for Petco Love Lost. “But Volusia County stands out as the very first countywide, coordinated deployment effort. That’s powerful.”
That distinction makes Volusia the only county in the United States to implement this AI-powered technology at a county level. Other deployments have been limited to cities, but this is the first time an entire county is working together to create a centralized system for pet reunification.
“Many of the animals entering shelters are not homeless. They are simply lost. They have names and couches and families who love them,” said Knepp. “This technology helps us meet families where they are and get those pets home.”
Kids Can Lead the Way
Halifax Humane Society is encouraging families to turn pet preparedness into a team effort and let kids take the lead.
“We would love to see kids build their own hurricane readiness kits for the family pet,” said Hawkins. “It is a great way to empower them while helping keep pets safe.”
Create Your Pet’s Emergency Kit Before the Storm
• Three days of food and bottled water
• Medications in labeled bags
• Digital copies of vet records and ID photos
• Collar with ID tag and leash
• Travel carrier or crate
• Litter box, trash bags, cleaning supplies
• Favorite toys or bedding
• A photo of you with your pet
• Upload your pet’s photo at PetcoLoveLost.org
Get Involved and Spread the Word
Halifax Humane Society is planning events to promote the tool, including microchip scanning and registration drives. Community members can sign up to volunteer on the website.
“We want to be out there where the community is,” said Hawkins. “The more people who hear about this tool and register their pets, the fewer we will need to shelter.”
Local event hosts can invite Halifax Humane Society to participate in educational pop-ups or outreach efforts, including Petco Love Lost registration drives and awareness booths.
FurBall and Fall Kickoff Events
Halifax Humane Society’s annual FurBall fundraising gala is scheduled for December 4. A kickoff party will be held Thursday, September 4, at Spotlight Gallery.
“These events help support the shelter, but more importantly, they help us tell these stories,” Hawkins said.
As hurricane season intensifies, the call to action remains simple.
“Register your pet now. Talk about it with neighbors. Add it to your back-to-school checklist,” said Hawkins. “It only takes three minutes, but it could change everything.”
“This three-minute action could literally save your pet’s life before they ever enter a shelter,”