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Photo credit: Venimo/123RF.

Did you watch The Secret Life of Pets, that centers on lonely pets all over a big city? In reality, it’s actually a common case in Indonesia, except there are fewer chances for pets to hang out with their furry friends all around their premises.

Sure, there are pet communities around the city, but these communities are scattered and tend to get impersonal. Peto provides a platform for pet owners that want more one-on-one dates for their furry friends.

Peto was born out of the difficulty to find pet medication and companionship in Indonesia, so much so that its founder and CEO, Ditya Nandiwardhana, suffered the loss of his cat while he was studying abroad in Melbourne.

Peto currently has more than 2800 users with around 700 daily users, Ditya said.

The startup consisting of eight members is currently in its “puppy steps,” talking to investors and looking for seed funding. According to Arkka Sandhya Suryatin, Peto’s CFO, they’re looking for investors who are also pet lovers so they can understand the startup better before investing.

Pet dates and humping games

Screenshots of Peto’s Hump Game.

The startup is equipped with various features that make it easier for owners to nurture their pets from all aspects. “Find Owners Around You” enables users to find other pet owners in their proximity and “swipe right” on them, as you do on Tinder.

Pet owners can chat and eventually agree on a one-on-one “Peto Date” based on distance, pet breed, and gender of both pets and owners.

Peto has a new Peto Date feature in the works, in which users can come together to discuss their pet. Ditya said they’re aiming to battle Kaskus’ general forum with this feature.

See more: Who let the dogs out? A wearable for your pup will let you know

Another feature is the “Hump Game” – it’s a mini-game that lets pet owners play as their pets (or a ghost, in case they don’t register a pet in the app) and seek to hump or attack other pets or ghosts.

Other features include “Rescue,” which connects users wanting to adopt a furry friend with animals from shelters such as Animal Defenders; “Peto Vets,” which helps connect pets to vets; and “Shop,” an ecommerce platform for pet medication.

Aiming for innovation

Peto team (L to R): Pauline Any S. Cabriga (Head of partnership development), Arkka Sandhya Suryatin (CFO), Ditya Nandhiwardhana (CEO), Elmo Alfared (COO), and Chiba (Stress reliever/Peto mascot).

Made by pet owners for pet owners, Peto aims to connect pet lovers (who might also be single working professionals) in a more personal level. Apparently, according to Ditya and Arkka, this includes the aim for innovation.

“We’re currently in the works of expanding Peto into an IoT platform of innovation-based gadgets,” Arkka said. Peto is making a digital pet leash and pet feeder; users will control these using the app.

The project is still in its early stages, but Ditya confirms that both inventions will be released sometime next year.

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