Three animal lovers in Moldova have put on a map what Facebook scatters across dozens of groups: lost or found dogs, cats and parrots. The platform is called Kootzoo. TVR Moldova showed it on Sunday, 18 October 2026, at 21:00. It carries photo ads, a pin and alerts for people nearby. Administrator Mihaela Kawinska said that in less than a week the map already had eight listings and one dog back home.

The idea is simple, so that time is not lost. A user picks “Lost”, “Found” or “Looking for an owner”, adds the species, a photo and a point on the map. The interface is in Romanian, Russian and English; Kawinska pointed people to Kootzoo.up. #diez, which covered the launch the same day, says sign-in is by email and that posting takes about a minute.

TVR counted some 30 Facebook groups for missing pets. A post has to be shared again and again to travel, and days pass. On Kootzoo the ad stays up until the animal is found. Anyone who sees a dog in the street but cannot catch it can tap “I saw it”, mark the place and the time. The owner gets a notification.

Locals.md, which described the platform on 15 October, adds safety details TVR only brushed. The map pin is rounded to about 150 metres, not a front door. Contacts stay private; messages go through an in-app chat. Anyone handing an animal over is told to ask for old photos, a chip or a vet passport, not to take a stranger’s word for it.

The founders want veterinary clinics and grooming salons on the same map. They also want an education section: what to do if an animal is hurt or abused. Kawinska mentioned parrots, not only dogs and cats. The service is meant for all of Moldova, not only Chișinău, even if the team is starting in the capital.

Kootzoo does not replace shelters and it is not a guarantee. It is a shared map, so that an ad does not die after two shares. Without people who set neighbourhood alerts, it is an empty site. That is what Kawinska said, without promising miracles.

Image: Iurieph, dogs in winter in Dumitru Rascanu Park, Chisinau, CC0, Wikimedia Commons; archive strays, not a Kootzoo listing from October 2026.

Sources consulted: Lost animals, easier to find, thanks to a digital platform - TVR Moldova; Moldova launched a platform with an interactive map - #diez.