Ring brings its ‘Search Party’ feature for finding lost dogs to non-Ring camera owners

Ring Launches AI-Powered “Search Party” Feature to Help Find Lost Dogs

Ring, the popular home security company, has rolled out a new feature called “Search Party” that utilizes AI technology to assist in locating lost dogs. This feature, previously exclusive to Ring camera owners, is now available to all Ring customers in the United States, including those without a Ring camera.

The Search Party feature, introduced last year, works by scanning footage from neighbors’ outdoor cameras to identify potential matches for lost pets. When a neighbor reports a missing dog on the Ring app, nearby cameras use AI algorithms to search for matches. If a match is found, the camera owner receives an alert and can choose to share relevant video clips with the pet owner who reported the missing animal. Additionally, they have the option to contact the owner without revealing their personal phone number.

Since its launch, Ring’s Search Party feature has successfully reunited more than one dog per day with their owners. To further expand its reach, Ring has made the feature accessible to all users through the Ring app, enabling pet owners to leverage their community to locate lost pets more effectively.

Ring founder Jamie Siminoff emphasized the importance of community collaboration in finding lost pets, stating, “Now, pet owners can mobilize the whole community—and communities are empowered to help—to find lost pets more effectively than ever before.” He also announced a commitment of $1 million towards providing animal shelters with Ring camera systems, with the goal of assisting 4,000 shelters across the U.S. This initiative aims to increase the chances of reuniting lost dogs with their owners by integrating shelters into Ring’s network.

In addition to working with animal shelters, Ring collaborates with organizations such as Petco Love and Best Friends Animal Society, and is open to forming partnerships with other non-profits in the future.