Tara Hamdi, a passionate animal lover based in London, has introduced a novel initiative called ‘Only Rescues,’ often dubbed the ‘dating app for rescues.’ Her goal with this innovative free app is to assist charities and rehoming shelters in finding loving homes for cats and dogs in need.
The inspiration for ‘Only Rescues’ struck Tara after the loss of her beloved rescue dog, Max, last year. The profound impact of Max’s passing prompted Tara to channel her grief into a project dedicated to helping rescue animals. Consequently, she temporarily set aside her 15-year career as the head of fundraising for various charities to pursue this groundbreaking endeavor.
Only Rescues has already garnered recognition as a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards for Early Stage Stand Out. The app offers a platform for animal charities and responsible rehoming shelters to upload photos and details of their cats and dogs free of charge. Subsequently, the app facilitates the matchmaking process by pairing available animals with potential owners.
Prospective pet owners seeking a new cat or dog will be prompted to complete a lifestyle quiz when they access the app. This quiz plays a pivotal role in assisting ‘Only Rescues’ in making suitable matches between animals and their future caretakers.
Tara, originally hailing from Bournemouth, expressed her motivation for this endeavor: “My partner and I were broken when our Max died last year. It was then we decided we had to do something for rescue animals and I paused my career of 15 years to concentrate on this.”
While drawing a playful analogy to dating apps, Tara emphasised the importance of ensuring the compatibility of animals and prospective owners. She elaborated, “We have joked that this is similar to a dating app, but it is really important for us that the right animals are matched with the right people and families. This is why we ask potential owners to fill out a 30 second lifestyle quiz when they enter the app. We ask a few questions that determine the right fit for the new owner’s circumstances. For example, we ask whether they have a garden or not. If people don’t have a garden, then they might not see dogs like Great Danes on their list of potential matches,”
‘Only Rescues’ operates on a completely free model for both rehoming partners and potential owners. Tara is actively encouraging charities and rehoming shelters interested in showcasing their rescues to reach out to the team via email at [email protected].
With an estimated 1.7 million dogs and cats awaiting rehoming in the UK, ‘Only Rescues’ aspires to play a vital role in reducing this number, ensuring that countless animals find loving homes where they belong.
