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Facial Recognition Tech Now Being Used To Find Lost First Coast Pets

Elaine Thompson
/
Associated Press file photo

The same kind of facial recognition technology that helps police identify criminals is now being used in Northeast Florida to help reunite dog and cat owners with their lost pets.

The software is called “Finding Rover.”

Clay County spokeswoman Annaleasa Winter told WJCT News it is 98% accurate.

“It uses 130 different scan points, including fur color, snout length, space between the eyes. And when you take a good forward-facing clear photo that's a close up of the pet, it will scan all of these different points on the pet’s face, and we'll match it.“

Pets can be registered for free at findingrover.com.

Winter said then animal shelters, like Clay County Animal Services, can photograph lost dogs and cats and find matches in the system.

Finding Rover is also being used in Duval and other nearby counties, according to Winter.

Contact reporter Cyd Hoskinson at choskinson@wjct.org, 904-358-6351 and on Twitter at @cydwjctnews.

Cyd Hoskinson began working at WJCT on Valentine’s Day 2011.