Ring has made its AI-driven “Search Party” feature, which utilizes the company’s network of cameras to locate missing dogs, available to all Ring customers across the U.S. Notably, this functionality is now also accessible to individuals who do not own a Ring camera.
Introduced last autumn, Search Party employs artificial intelligence to identify potential matches for lost canines by scanning footage from neighbors’ cameras.
When a user reports a missing dog within the Ring app, nearby outdoor cameras leverage AI to search for corresponding animals. If a match is detected, the camera owner receives an alert and can opt to share relevant video clips with the neighbor who filed the report. They also have the option to call or message the owner without disclosing their personal phone number.
Ring states that since its launch, the feature has been instrumental in reuniting more than one dog with its owner daily.
Previously, Search Party was exclusively available to Ring camera owners. The company is now extending access to Search Party to everyone via the Ring app.
“Now, pet owners can mobilize the whole community—and communities are empowered to help—to find lost pets more effectively than ever before,” stated Ring founder Jamie Siminoff in an announcement. “That’s why we believe it’s so important to make this feature available to anyone who shares a lost dog post in Neighbors,” he added, referring to the company’s Neighbors app for Ring customers.
Concurrent with this expansion, Amazon-owned Ring announced a commitment of $1 million to supply animal shelters with Ring camera systems, targeting 4,000 U.S. shelters. By integrating these shelters into Ring’s network, the company aims to facilitate more reunions between lost dogs and their owners.
The company currently collaborates with various nonprofits, including Petco Love and Best Friends Animal Society, and is open to forming additional partnerships.