As a general rule, I try not to “plug” products and services (other than my own) here at In Brief Legal Writing Services. There’s just something about it that doesn’t sit well with me.

That being stated, some rules are meant to be broken — every so often. And since I know a lot of you have pets, I felt compelled to share a really cool article I just found. It’s about a mobile app, which, in my humble opinion, is a must-have not only for pet owners, but for anyone who cares about animals.

Here’s The Deal

A description on the FurAlert website says the free app (which is available at both the App Store and Google Play) is similar to the Amber Alert system used in cases involving missing children. But instead of sending a message to other users about a missing kid, FurAlert lets you send one about a missing pet.

Here’s how it works once you’ve downloaded it. The first and most important step is to create a “profile” for your pet(s). This will include a picture and other relevant information, such as age and breed. You can also select the contact information you’d like to include. Then, if your pet is lost or runs away, you can open the app and report him or her missing. Other users in your area will be notified and receive the information in your missing pet’s profile. If one of them finds your pet, they can then contact you using the cell phone number or email address you provided.

How Cool Is That?

Think about it. Microchipping is great. Eli was “chipped” when I adopted him, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It gives me some piece of mind to know that there’s a way to reach me if he gets lost. But the truth is, not everyone knows about microchipping and lost animals don’t always get scanned.

Here’s another tool that can be used in addition to microchipping to defy the odds and help reunite you with your dog or cat.

“Time and distance are the enemy when your pet is lost and the best resource you have at that moment are the people who happen to be nearby,” FurAlert Founder Cory Donovan says on his company’s website. “But you likely don’t know them and they don’t know you need help. So, what if we could quickly mobilize pet owners to help each other in an emergency! Almost 70 percent of U.S. homes have a pet, so the majority of us have that in common.”

Keeping that idea in mind, Donovan says FurAlert is designed for two important purposes. The first is to “reduce the number of pets that are injured, killed or permanently lost.” The second is to “alleviate some of the anxiety that pet owners feel when their pet is missing.”

I know. It is so cool, it almost sounds too good to be true. But there’s also a wealth of information on FurAlert’s FAQ page, so you’ll probably find the answers to your questions there.

After all, there’s no harm in checking it out…