Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. You can update your email address in your account security settings. You will receive a confirmation email to your new address before the change takes effect.

Yes. You can permanently delete your account from your account settings. Deleting your account will remove your profile, pet profiles, and associated data in line with our Privacy Policy. Active subscriptions should be cancelled before deleting your account to avoid further billing.

Click the "Register Your Pet" or "Sign Up" button on the homepage and follow the prompts. You will need to provide your email address, first name, and general location (city or province) to register.

Yes. Your first name, general location, and any optional details you provide (such as last name and phone number) are visible to other users of the platform. This is by design - wefindpets is a community platform and owner visibility helps reunite lost pets. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

A valid email address, your first name, and a general location (city or province) are required. Your last name and phone number are optional and can be added later from your profile settings.

On the login page, click "Forgot Password" and enter your email address. We will send you a password reset link. If you do not receive the email within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder.

You can photograph a found animal and submit it for matching against the database of registered missing pets, even without registering your own pet first. However, having your own pet registered improves the chances of a match if your pet goes missing.

Our AI model has been trained on millions of cat and dog images and fine-tuned specifically for individual pet re-identification. While it performs well in most cases, it is not 100% accurate. Results should be treated as a strong lead rather than a definitive confirmation - always verify a potential match by arranging a safe, in-person meeting through our in-app chat.

If you find a stray animal, navigate to the "Found a Pet" section and upload a clear frontal photo of the animal. Our AI will compare it against registered missing pets in our database and return the closest matches ranked by similarity.

Clear, well-lit frontal face photos produce the best results. Avoid blurry, dark, or low-resolution images. For registration, upload a neutral frontal face photo without obstructions. Multiple photos from different angles can improve matching accuracy.

AI matching relies on visual similarity, which can be affected by lighting, camera angle, coat changes, and image quality. If an automatic match is not found, your missing pet report remains active and visible in the catalog so community members can manually identify your pet.

Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings. Once cancelled, your subscription will not renew. You will continue to have access to all paid features until the end of your current billing cycle - no access is cut off mid-period.

Subscription prices and plan features may change over time. We will notify existing subscribers of any pricing changes in advance by email or platform notification, giving you time to decide whether to continue.

Subscription payments are generally non-refundable. If you cancel before your next billing date, you retain access to paid features until that date but will not receive a pro-rated refund for the unused portion. If you believe you have been charged in error, contact us and we will investigate promptly.

Paid subscriptions are billed monthly on a recurring basis. Your payment method is charged automatically on the same date each month. You will receive a payment notification by email after each successful charge.

Yes. All payments are processed by a third-party payment gateway that is PCI-DSS compliant. We never receive, store, or have access to your full card details. We only receive a payment status notification (e.g., successful or failed) to update your subscription on our platform.

If a payment fails, we will notify you by email. Your account may be downgraded to the free tier and access to paid-only features may be suspended until the payment is resolved. You can update your payment details in your account billing settings.

The free plan allows you to register one pet, report them as missing, browse the missing pet catalog, use AI-assisted photo matching, access secure in-app chat, and receive email and push notifications. Paid plans unlock additional features such as WhatsApp alerts, map-based locations, and more pet registrations.

We offer three plans: Free (one pet registration, core features), Plus (up to 5 pets, WhatsApp notifications, map-based missing pet locations), and Family (unlimited pets, broadcast alerts, bulk import, and dedicated support). See our Pricing page for current pricing and full feature comparisons.

Yes. Once you have confirmed a potential match through messaging, you can choose to share your contact details directly in the chat to arrange an in-person handover. We recommend waiting until you are confident about a match before sharing personal contact information.

When someone believes they have found your pet - or you have found a pet matching another user's missing report - you can initiate a conversation through the platform. This allows you to communicate without immediately exposing personal contact details. Messages are delivered through our secure platform.

If you receive abusive, harassing, or inappropriate messages from another user, please report them immediately using the report button within the conversation. We take all reports seriously and will investigate. You can also block a user to prevent further contact.

Yes. You can edit the details of a missing pet report (such as last seen location, description, or photos) or mark it as resolved from your account dashboard at any time.

Go to your account dashboard, locate your active missing pet report, and mark it as resolved. This removes your pet from the active missing catalog and notifies any users who have been following your report.

Log in to your account, go to the relevant pet's profile, and click "Report as Missing". You will be asked to provide the last known location, date last seen, and any additional identifying details. Your pet will then appear in the missing pet catalog and other users in your area may be notified.

Missing pet reports remain active until you manually mark them as resolved or delete the report. We do not automatically expire reports to ensure your pet remains visible for as long as needed.

The more detail, the better. Include the last known location and date, a detailed description (distinguishing marks, collar colour, microchip number if applicable), and multiple clear photos, especially a frontal face photo for AI matching. Any behavioural information (e.g., shy with strangers, responds to name) is also helpful.

Yes. When another user submits a photo of a found animal that the AI identifies as a potential match to your missing pet, you will receive a notification (email, push, or WhatsApp depending on your notification settings). You can then review the match and contact the finder through in-app chat.

Yes. You can manage your notification preferences from your account notification settings. You can enable or disable email, push, and WhatsApp notifications independently, and choose which types of events trigger each notification type.

WhatsApp notifications are available on paid plans. To enable them, go to your account notification settings and follow the steps to link your WhatsApp number. You will receive a verification message to confirm the connection.

First, check that notifications are enabled in your account settings. Then check your spam or junk folder - emails from wefindpets may occasionally be filtered. If the issue persists, ensure your registered email address is correct and contact our support team.

Notifications are sent for events such as: a potential AI match found for your missing pet, a new message in your in-app chat, a missing pet reported near your location (on eligible plans), and payment confirmations or failures.

Yes. The number of pets you can register depends on your subscription plan. The Free plan allows one pet registration, the Plus plan allows up to five, and the Family plan allows unlimited registrations.

You can upload multiple photos per pet profile. We recommend including at least one clear frontal face photo, as this is used by our AI matching system. Additional photos from different angles improve matching accuracy.

To register a pet you will need your pet's name, species (cat or dog), and sex. Adding photos - in particular a clear frontal face photo - is strongly recommended so that your pet can be identified through our AI system if they go missing.

Currently, wefindpets supports cats and dogs. We may extend support to other species in future updates.

Yes. All registered pet profiles, including names, species, sex, descriptions, and photographs, are publicly visible on the platform. This is intentional - public visibility is what enables the community to help identify and return your pet if they go missing.

Yes. Under POPIA (and GDPR where applicable), you have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. To submit a data access request, contact us at the email address listed on our Privacy Policy page and we will respond within the legally required timeframe.

Yes. You can request deletion of your personal data by contacting us. Note that some data may be retained for a period as required by law (e.g., payment records for financial auditing). Deleting your account from the settings page will also initiate the removal of your profile data.

No. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing or commercial purposes. Your data is used solely to operate and improve the wefindpets platform.

Payment is processed entirely by a PCI-DSS compliant third-party payment gateway. We never see or store your card details. We only receive a payment status update (successful, failed, or cancelled) to manage your subscription.

Your personal data is retained for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. If you delete your account, we aim to delete or anonymise your data within a reasonable period, subject to legal retention requirements (such as keeping payment records for up to seven years).

Yes. wefindpets is committed to compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). We collect only the information necessary to provide the Service, process it lawfully, and protect it using appropriate technical and organisational security measures. Full details are available in our Privacy Policy.

Yes. wefindpets is fully responsive and works on all modern smartphones, tablets, and desktop browsers. There is no separate app to download - simply open wefindpets.co.za in your mobile browser.

If you have found a stray cat or dog, go to the "Found a Pet" section and upload a clear photo. Our AI will search for a matching missing pet report. You can also browse the missing pet catalog manually by location. If a match is found, contact the owner through in-app chat.

Yes, there is a permanently free plan that includes one pet registration, the ability to report a missing pet, AI-assisted photo matching, the missing pet catalog, in-app chat, and email and push notifications. Paid plans are available for users who need more pet registrations or additional features like WhatsApp alerts.

wefindpets supports all current versions of major browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. For the best experience, ensure your browser is up to date.

For support queries, billing issues, or data requests, you can contact us via email. The contact address is listed on our Contact page and in the footer of this site. We aim to respond to all queries within two business days.