In France, 82,264 animals were reported lost in 2024 — including 27,000 cats and dogs during the summer alone, which is one lost animal every 8 minutes ( I-CAD, 2025 Barometer). Yet, until now, families only had tools designed before the smartphone era: hastily pasted paper posters, fragmented Facebook groups, calling shelters one by one. None of these channels communicate with each other.
It is precisely to fill this gap that Animou was created. Invoxia is proud to be a partner in this project, and those registered on the platform benefit from an exclusive offer on the Invoxia Biotracker.
What is Animou? #
Animou is a free mobile app ( iOS and Android), launched in France in July 2026. It centralizes and accelerates the search for lost animals through community mobilization and technology. Its mission: to turn every neighbor into an ally, and every second gained into a chance for reunion.
The app was born from a personal experience lived by its Bordeaux founders, Ambre Capon and Aymeric Deloche. One summer evening, their cat Percy disappeared. For three days, they posted on twelve Facebook groups, pasted twenty posters in the neighborhood, called six shelters one by one — without coordination, without an appropriate tool. “Animou is the app we wish we had that night,” they say.
How does the app work? #
Animou is based on four simple steps:
1. Instant reporting. In a few clicks, the owner creates an ad with photos, precise location, and distinctive signs of their animal.
2. Geolocated community alert. All users nearby receive an immediate push notification — as well as partner veterinarians and shelters registered on the platform.
3. Intelligent matching. An algorithm automatically compares each “lost” ad with “found” and “seen” ads published in the area and notifies probable matches.
4. Secure connection. An integrated messaging system allows exchanges without sharing personal contact details until the reunion is confirmed.
Target result: a first interaction in less than 2 hours, compared to several days with current tools. The targeted resolution rate is over 30%.
A 100% free app — including for professionals #
Animou is free for individuals, but also for shelters, veterinarians, and associations, which have a dedicated back-office at no cost. The business model was designed without data resale, in full GDPR compliance with European hosting.
The platform is also open to “animal friends” — neighbors and volunteers who can contribute to searches without necessarily being pet owners. The larger the network, the greater the chances of reunion.
The Invoxia offer for Animou users #
Because prevention is better than searching, Invoxia partners with Animou to offer platform registrants an exclusive discount on the Invoxia Biotracker.
The Biotracker is the only connected collar that combines real-time GPS location and advanced health monitoring for dogs. In case of escape, you know exactly where your dog is from your smartphone, with an automatic alert as soon as it crosses the zone you have defined. Additionally, it continuously monitors its heart rate, respiratory rate, sleep quality, and activity level. So you know how it is at any time, even in this kind of emergency!
The Invoxia offer is accessible directly from your Animou partner space after registration on the platform.
My dog has gone missing: what to do in the first hours? #
Every minute matters. If your dog has just run away or gone missing, here are the steps to take without delay:
- Start by searching nearby. Dogs rarely stray far from home, so check surrounding streets, gardens and car parks first.
- Check their location in the Biotracker app. If your dog is wearing an Invoxia Biotracker, open the app: you can see their real-time position and track their movements since they disappeared.
- Report it on Animou straight away. Create a listing with a recent photo, the last known location and any distinguishing features. The alert is sent in real time to nearby users, partner shelters and vets.
- File a loss report with I-CAD. Reporting a missing pet to France’s national identification register is mandatory and helps shelters and pounds reunite you with your dog if they are found.
- Contact local shelters and vets by phone, in parallel with the automatic notifications sent by Animou.
- Post on local community groups (Facebook, Nextdoor, neighbourhood groups) with a photo and your contact details.
- Put up flyers within a 500 m to 1 km radius of the last known location, focusing on shop entrances, letterbox areas and parks.
Prevention and reaction: two complementary approaches #
Animou and the Invoxia Biotracker respond to two different, but equally crucial, moments in a dog owner’s life.
The Biotracker acts upstream: it alerts you if your dog leaves a defined area, allows you to locate it live, and monitors its health to detect anomalies before they become emergencies. It is the tool of prevention — to avoid ending up in the situation of the 82,000 families who lost their pet in 2024. For more information, check out our tips on how to avoid your dog running away.
Animou acts downstream: if despite everything your pet disappears, the platform mobilizes your local network, shelters, and veterinarians in the area in seconds, optimizing the chances of a quick reunion.
The two tools do not replace each other — they complement each other 🩵
Animou in numbers #
The data collected by Animou provides a clear measure of the problem the app aims to solve:
- 79 million pets in France (1 in 2 households owns at least one)
- 82,264 animals reported lost in 2024 (I-CAD, 2025 Barometer)
- 27,000 cats and dogs disappeared in summer 2024 alone
- 1 cat lost every 8 minutes during the summer period (I-CAD, 2025 Summer Report)
- 200+ partners (shelters, veterinarians, associations) already identified in the territory at launch
The roadmap plans for a V2 with artificial intelligence image recognition within the first 12 months, followed by a European deployment (Brussels, Barcelona, Milan, Berlin, Amsterdam, London) within 24 months.
Frequently Asked Questions #
What is Animou? #
Animou is a free mobile app (iOS and Android) launched in France in June 2026, designed to centralize and accelerate the search for lost animals. It combines instant reporting, geolocated push alerts to the local community, intelligent matching between “lost” and “found” ads, and secure messaging. It is free for both individuals and professionals (shelters, veterinarians, associations).
How to download Animou? #
Animou is available for free on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android). Registration is free and without commitment.
How does Animou’s matching work? #
When a “lost” ad is published, Animou’s algorithm automatically compares it to “found” and “seen” ads already recorded in the relevant geographic area. In case of a probable match, both parties are notified and can exchange via the app’s secure messaging, without sharing their personal contact details.
What is the Invoxia discount available through Animou? #
Registrants on the Animou platform benefit from an exclusive offer on the Invoxia Biotracker, the GPS and health monitoring collar for dogs. The details of the offer are accessible in the partner space after registration on animou-app.com.
Can the Invoxia Biotracker replace Animou? #
The two tools are complementary and not substitutable. The Invoxia Biotracker is a prevention tool: it locates your dog in real-time and alerts you if it crosses a defined area, before the situation becomes an escape. Animou is a reaction tool: if your pet is already lost, it mobilizes the local community, shelters, and veterinarians to maximize the chances of a quick reunion. Using both together offers the most complete protection.
Is Animou really free? #
Yes, Animou is free for all individual users, with no intrusive advertising or data resale. It is also free for professionals (shelters, veterinarians, associations), who have a dedicated back-office at no cost. The platform complies with GDPR with European hosting.