Sometimes the internet wins with pairing you with just the right content. I’m not talking about the heartwarming military homecomings or the kids who accidentally swear in front of their grandparents. Although if you send those to me, I will always watch them and laugh. No, I’m talking about something that crosses your social media path and make you say “Why didn’t I think of that first?” For me, that was meeting Sheryl Matthys, the Founder of FetchaDate.

After a few tweets back and forth, I asked Sheryl if I could interview her because I thought her app was brilliant. FetchaDate pairs singles with other like minded individuals who love their pets. You can either have a pet, or be in between pets. And it’s not just for cats and dogs, any pet is accepted. The gerbil, the hamster, the cute and cuddly python. Is that a thing? Well for another python owner, it is! FetchaDate acts like other dating apps, where you create a profile and matches can be found based on age, gender and geography. But what sets it apart from other dating apps is having your pet be the focal point and acting as your…wait for cuteness..WING PET!

FetchaDate originally started as “Leashes and Lovers” in New York City. Matthys, who is originally from the midwest, found NYC to be, not the warmest town in the world. That all changed however when Sheryl got her first Greyhound. She noticed that the city began to be a bit more friendly. People were more engaging with her and her dog. “Leashes and Lovers” then grew into meet up groups in trendy cocktail bars, a successful book: “Leashes and Lovers: What Your Dog Can Teach You About Love, Life and Happiness.” and to its current incarnation, the app FetchaDate.

What Sheryl noticed was that there was a market for singles looking for love, who also loved their pets. During our interview we laughed at how some people have to understand that as a single pet owner, your home may have poop in a corner, or hair on your jacket, or a four legged friend who sleeps in your bed. For non pet owners like myself, this was a hard part of dating for me. Meeting a great guy who would then go on and on about his Boxer, and how I could absolutely care less. But for singles who share a love for their pets, much like a parent to a child, finding someone who shares the same passion can be hard.

Matthys mentioned that some of her former “Leashes and Lovers” friends would comment that they wouldn’t bring a date around their pet until a few dates in. Almost to act as an emotional protector. If you don’t like my cat and my cat doesn’t like you, then its “Sayonara”! What sets this app apart from others in creating meaningful connections and having those connections made through your four legged friend. Or your winged, scaled, hard shelled companion.

I can’t tell you how many singles I know who are unable tell you the last great date they had, but can show you the last three videos of their dog doing the most hilarious thing in the world. That’s the beauty of pets, their unconditional love. It’s what we as humans are yearning for. FetchaDate recognizes that in this ever changing dating world, in order to find meaningful connections sometimes we have to take our phone for a walk. And hope he plays well with others.

You can find FetchaDate in the app store for iPhone and Android.

http://www.fetchadate.com

iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fetchadate/id1523043155

Google Play:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fetchadate