Area residents developing pet owners app: 'A forum to reduce the social isolation of people and pets'

The 29-year-old wanted to socialize with other pet owners, specifically those who have huskies just like her pet, 5-year-old Helsinki. But she found it difficult to connect.

“I had this vision to create an app where like-minded individuals can connect,” LaRocco Masi said. “A forum to reduce the social isolation of people and pets.”

Available on both iOS and Android, the app aims to enable users to find nearby playdates by breed, size, and location, and foster ongoing engagement through photo sharing, therapy meetups and community features.

According to an October Forbes magazine article on pet ownership statistics, as of 2024, 66% of U.S. households have a pet. That’s nearly 87 million homes. And of those pet owners, half reported they consider their pets to be as much a part of their family as a human family member.

The Petwrk beta website went live in September, during an event where around 50, mostly strangers, and 15 dogs gathered, played, ate snacks and sang karaoke at a forest preserve. There, the attendees got to experience that connection the app promises, and learned more about it.

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