Fetch a Friend
Fetch a Friend is a mobile app designed to help busy young pet owners stay organized and confident in caring for their animals. From tracking vet appointments and vaccination records to managing daily routines like exercise, the app keeps all essential pet information in one convenient place. With Fetch a Friend, users can ensure their pets get the consistent, attentive care they deserve—no matter how hectic life gets.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Timeline
Aug - Dec 2021, 4 months
Skills
Wireframing UI Design Prototyping
Tools
Adobe XD
Procreate
Problem
During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 20% of people who adopted dogs from shelters ultimately returned them—often due to feeling unprepared for the responsibilities of pet ownership. This project aims to address that challenge by empowering new pet owners with the tools and support they need to confidently manage their pet’s health, training, and overall care.
Solution
Fetch a Friend is an app designed to provide new pet owners with a centralized, easy-to-use platform filled with essential resources.
The app offers training videos, customizable care calendars, appointment reminders, and interactive maps of nearby dog parks—all designed to help users stay informed, organized, and engaged.
By keeping everything in one place, Fetch a Friend supports pet owners in building confidence and consistency in their care, ultimately strengthening the bond between them and their pet.
Research:
Outreach: As part of my research, I engaged with local animal shelters and interviewed young adults within my target demographic to gain insights into the motivations behind pet adoption and the reasons for pet returns. These conversations helped uncover key factors behind the decision individuals made to adopt pets and, more importantly, why many ultimately decided to return them.
Insights: Based on these interactions I was able to take away insights and research findings. From there I structured the app's navigation and content, prioritizing features and information, according to specific user needs and pain points that had been discussed.
Key insights:
Behavioral issues are the most common reason dogs are returned to shelters. However, many of these problems could be resolved with basic training that owners often fail to do before deciding to surrender their pet.
Dogs have become an integral part of socializing for many young adults. With fewer traditional opportunities to meet others, dog ownership offers a natural way to connect through shared routines in parks, trails, and other community spaces.
Many first-time dog owners underestimate the time, cost, and commitment involved in pet care. From required vaccinations and licensing to daily attention and exercise, the responsibilities can be overwhelming—especially when clear, accessible resources are hard to find.
Consumer Journey Map: Using these key insights , I created a consumer journey map to visualize the experience of a first-time dog owner. This map highlights key stages, decisions, and common implementation—providing a clear framework to identify where support, resources, and guidance are most needed throughout the pet ownership journey.
Ideation:
Mockups: Building upon research I created user flows that guides Fetch a Friend users seamlessly through creating an account for their dog and entering essential information such as breed, age, and health details.
After setup, users are brought to a personalized dashboard displaying key info about their pet such as vaccines and daily exercise data.
From there, a bottom navigation bar provides easy access to core features—including a customizable care calendar, a map of nearby dog-friendly parks, and a library of training modules—all designed to support confident, informed pet ownership.
Iterations: During the design process, I explored multiple iterations of the dashboard layout to determine the most effective way to present key information to users.
One version prioritized communication and scheduling, featuring new messages, upcoming events, and care reminders. The other focused on the dog’s health and routine, highlighting daily activity, vaccination status, and weight tracking.
These variations helped evaluate which approach best supported user needs and aligned with the app’s goal of simplifying pet care.
Branding:
Fetch a Friend Branding Guide: The Fetch a Friend branding guide leans into the joy and playfulness of pet ownership by using bright, inviting colors and soft, rounded typography.
This visual identity was crafted to reflect the warmth, energy, and fun that pets bring into our lives—creating a friendly, approachable look and feel that resonates with new pet owners and enhances the overall user experience.
Conclusion
Fetch a Friend effectively addresses the challenges new dog owners face by providing a centralized platform for managing their pet's health, training, and social needs. With features like customizable care calendars, local park maps, and training resources, the app empowers owners to stay organized, confident, and connected, ensuring they can provide the best care for their dogs while navigating the responsibilities of pet ownership.4o mini