Site matches dog adopters with a homeless canine “look-a-like”

Pet overpopulation is a problem around the world, and New Zealand is no exception. Hoping to increase engagement and — ultimately — adoptions through its annual adoption drive there, Mars-owned pet food brand Pedigree recently launched Doggelganger, a website that helps prospective adopters find a dog who looks just like them. Visitors to the Doggelganger site — which is the work of creative agency Colenso BBDO — begin by using a webcam or uploading a photo of the person seeking a canine twin. The site’s “human to canine pairing software,” as it calls it, then analyzes that face and does its best to match it with one of a canine counterpart currently in its database of the nation’s homeless dogs. Once a match is found, the site presents a picture of the dog along with his or her name, location, age, sex, breed and a personality description. Users then have the option of making contact with the dog, sharing their results or starting over again. Pedigree also, incidentally, offers a web tool that lets consumers see what their own dog would look like wearing dentures; that one is designed to help promote the company’s canine oral care products. In the case of Doggelganger, however, using the common belief that pets and their owners often look alike as a way to jump-start adoptions is a particularly clever one. Combined with fun technology and a good cause, this project promises to pair more than a few lucky dogs with new owners. Social entrepreneurs around the globe: be inspired!