Widespread of Stray Animals: Design a Technological Solution to Help Build a Rescue System for Stray Animals

Abstract

The issue of stray animals in cities has received continuous attention from government agencies and animal organisation around the world. However, the lack of relevant laws and regulations, as well as the lack of public service resources (e.g. funding, space and labour), poses a considerable challenge to the survival and rescue of stray animals. To address this challenge, this study attempts to optimize the current social rescue system for stray animals through a technological design solution. This study investigates and develops a rescue system of stray animal through Human-Centred Design. This research has mainly discussed around the current situation of stray animals, their causes, hazards and rescue issues. The results of this research indicate that (1) the main causes of having stray animals in cities are lost, abandoned and disorderly breeding, as well as lack of regulations. Additionally, stray animals live in poor conditions with health many problems; (2) stray animals pose a serious threat to the development of cities. There is an urgent need to optimise the stray animal rescue system at the levels of individuals, shelters and social system; (3) a technological public welfare platform would be a reliable solution to effectively improve the situation of stray animals. As a result of the research, this study designed a stray animal public welfare platform APP, which has applied big data, AI and other relevant intelligent technologies. Additionally, it solves the pain points of current public welfare rescue platforms and optimises the existing stray animal rescue process and experience, as well as make an important reference for developing the construction of a technological stray animal rescue system.