A Cincinnati entrepreneur and a military veteran veteran have developed a new service that aims to quickly and safely reunite lost pets with their owners.
Patrick Sledz and U.S. Navy vet Pamela Fusco, a cryptologist, cybersecurity expert and animal advocate have partnered to launch ZuluTails, a membership-based service that uses Universal Pet Identifier technology, a unique seven-character code on each pet’s collar, as well as an online platform that helps protect both the finder and the owner of a lost animal.
Fusco said that after witnessing many instances of lost pet situations not ending in successful reunions, she knew there had to be a better way.
“We mixed cybersecurity and privacy with our love of animals and that's how we came up with ZuluTails,” Fusco said. “It doesn't matter where you live, where you go and what language you speak, you can always get your pet back.”
The name of the company originated from Fusco’s military background, derived from the Naval term “Bravo Zulu,” which means "job well done."
ZuluTails officially launched June 1 but has been in the works since 2018. More than 1,700 people have already subscribed to the service from hearing about the company by word-of-mouth.
While the business has customers from California to Niagra Falls, ZuluTails plans to go global soon.
“The business is designed to go global once we’ve taken the patient steps we need to make sure those launches go as they should,” Sledz said. The company, based in Orchard Park, N.Y., expects to have more than 1 million pets in the ZuluTails network within a year.
The mechanisms of how information is exchanged between the pet owner and finder on the website support the privacy element of the service. Here’s how it works:
- The finder of the lost pet goes to zulutails.com, an address printed boldly on the pet’s collar.
- The finder types in a seven-character identification code on the pet’s tag.
- The finder is brought to a profile page that includes all the pet’s information. This includes the pet’s name, picture, medical needs and biography.
- The finder is prompted to leave their email address, phone number and a note explaining where they found the pet and how they can get them back to their owner.
- The owner is immediately alerted via smartphone that someone has found their lost pet and they can begin making plans to meet the finder.
Fusco and Sledz said along with the added security measures, ZuluTails addresses other shortcomings of traditional pet-tracking methods. Microchips and GPS trackers are dependent on access to scanners, can have limited proximities, are prone to hardware failures, and can require users to download additional applications and lose precious time when a pet is missing.
Sledz, who has a background in financial services and was a member of the Business Courier's 2015 Forty Under 40 class, said it was important that the service was affordable. Service subscriptions are $19.99 per year for a single pet, $14.99 for a second pet, $9.99 for a third and $4.99 thereafter.
Additionally, ZuluTails has partnered with Pets for Vets, a nonprofit organization that rescues, trains and matches shelter dogs with American veterans who need a companion pet. The organization receives 10% of the company’s revenue.
