Animou, the community app for lost pets
Every year in France, over 82,000 pets are reported lost. That's a huge number that still drives pet owners to urgently print posters or post announcements on Facebook. In light of this situation, two entrepreneurs from Bordeaux decided to create Animou, a new free mobile app designed to speed up the reunions between pets and their owners.
Geo-located alerts by neighborhood in case of disappearance
Imagined by Aymeric Deloche and Ambre Capon after their cat Percy went missing, Animou operates like a real local and instant alert network. “When Percy disappeared, we realized that there was no simple, free, and centralized tool to quickly find a lost pet,” explain the two co-founders.
In just a few clicks, owners post a photo, description, and location. All nearby users then receive a geo-located notification on their phones. The app also features an intelligent matching system that automatically cross-references various criteria to detect likely matches between found animals and reports of missing pets.
“The idea is to create a community where everyone can help each other find their lost animals,” concludes Aymeric.
acute;e, it’s about digitally recreating neighborhood solidarity, but on a larger scale,” they summarize.1 lost cat every 8 minutes in France last summer
According to the 2025 I-CAD barometer, 82,264 animals were reported lost in France in 2024, with a cat going missing every eight minutes during the summer. Despite these figures, there hadn’t been a free, centralized national platform until now.
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Animou aims to fill this gap by bringing together three communities: pet owners, neighbors and animal-loving volunteers, and professionals such as veterinarians, shelters, and associations. These professionals will also have access to a dedicated and free back-office.
100% free app available all over France
Available for free on iOS and Android starting June 25, 2026, Animou promises to remain completely free, even for partner organizations. “We wanted a model that is accessible to everyone, with no subscription or hidden fees,” assure the founders.
The Bordeaux-based startup also guarantees that it will not sell any personal data and is focusing on a business model based on partnerships in the pet industry. Already, it is supported by over 200 partners in 10 major French cities.
Goals, the application aims for 15,000 downloads within the six months following its launch..
A future version powered by artificial intelligence
A second version of the app is already in the works, featuring an image recognition system powered by artificial intelligence to automate visual searches. In the long run, the founders aim for a European rollout in several major cities like Barcelona, Milan, Berlin, and London.