Discover pet owners like you nearby.
The community app where every pet owner has something in common...a love for their pets!
- Connect with local pet lovers and schedule playdates
- Learn from a community of pet owners like you
- Discover pet-friendly events and exclusive discounts
It takes 2 minutes to make a profile, try it today!
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Everything Pet Owners Need in One Place
Connect, share, and build a community around the pets you love.
Find Your Matches
Discover nearby pet owners who have pets like yours and share your interests.
Message and Connect
Chat with other pet owners, ask questions, and plan playdates.
Get Advice in the Forum
Join conversations where pet lovers share tips about training, health, nutrition, and more.
Discover Local Events
Find pet-friendly meetups, group walks, adoption events, and community gatherings.
What Is Petwrk?
Petwrk is a free community app for pet owners and animal advocates, available on iOS, Android, and the web. Members match with nearby pet owners, message and plan playdates, get advice in a community forum, discover pet-friendly events, and unlock exclusive member discounts.
Think of it as "Reddit for pet owners" for real conversations, with "Tinder for pet matching" energy for meeting compatible pet friends. The online community is available broadly, and in-person events are primarily concentrated in Lake County, Illinois, and the surrounding Chicagoland area.
100% free
No subscription. Create a pet profile in about two minutes.
iOS, Android & web
Download from the App Store or Google Play, or use the web app.
Online community
Match, message, and share pet content from wherever you are.
Events in Chicagoland
In-person events mainly in Lake County, IL, and the surrounding Chicagoland area.
Pet owners & animal advocates
Dogs, cats, reptiles, or no pet at all. Everyone can join.
Women- & minority-owned
Headquartered in Lake County, IL. App engagement supports participating shelters.
Sources: Phoenix LaRocco (opens in new tab) · Shaw Local (opens in new tab)
As Featured In
What Pet Owners Are Saying
Join thousands of pet lovers who are already part of the Petwrk community.
“Petwrk made it so easy to find other dog owners in my neighborhood. We've already set up weekly playdates!”
Lauren Underwood
“I love how the community shares real advice. The forum helped me find the best vet and training tips for my puppy.”
Ritu Shah
“As a first-time pet owner, having a community that gets it has been everything. Petwrk feels like home.”
Edwin Lopez
“The matching feature is genius. My dog finally has a best friend, and so do I!”
Rima Patel
“I've discovered so many pet-friendly events I never knew about. Petwrk keeps us active and connected.”
Seth Wallace
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about Petwrk, finding pets and playdates near you, pet-friendly events, and supporting shelters and pet businesses.
About Petwrk
What is Petwrk?
Petwrk is a free pet community and matching app for pet owners and animal advocates. It helps people discover nearby pets and pet owners, make connections, message other members, arrange pet playdates and meetups, participate in community discussions, discover pet-friendly events, find pet-related information, and access benefits and discounts from participating pet businesses.
Petwrk also works with the broader pet community, including pet businesses, animal shelters, rescues, and other organizations supporting animals.
Is Petwrk free to use?
Yes. Petwrk is free for users. You can create a profile and access Petwrk through the web, iOS App Store, or Google Play. Creating a profile takes about two minutes.
Members can connect with other pet owners, discover pets, participate in the community, find events, and explore other Petwrk resources.
What else can I do on Petwrk besides finding pet playdates?
Petwrk is more than a pet-playdate app. Members can connect with other pet owners, participate in community conversations, discover pet-friendly events, learn about pet-related topics, find participating pet businesses, access member benefits, and support organizations helping animals.
Our goal is to create connections among pet owners, animal advocates, pet businesses, shelters, rescues, and the broader pet community.
Who is behind Petwrk?
Petwrk was founded by Phoenix LaRocco and is a woman- and minority-owned company headquartered in Lake County, Illinois.
Petwrk has been featured by the Chicago Tribune, WBBM Newsradio, Shaw Local, and BringFido.
Where is Petwrk headquartered?
Petwrk is headquartered in Lake County, Illinois. Many of our current in-person events are primarily focused in Lake County and the greater Chicagoland area, but we plan to expand into additional communities.
We are also happy to feature relevant pet and animal-related events from other locations, especially events hosted by or benefiting animal shelters and rescue organizations.
Where is Petwrk available?
Petwrk's online community is available broadly, allowing pet owners and animal advocates to connect through the platform.
Our current in-person events and community activities are primarily concentrated in Lake County, Illinois, and the surrounding Chicagoland area. We plan to expand our local presence as the Petwrk community grows.
Finding Pets & Playdates
How can I find pets and pet owners near me?
Petwrk helps you discover nearby pet owners and pets and connect with people who share your interests.
When you find someone you'd like to connect with, you can message them through Petwrk and arrange a playdate, meetup, or other connection.
Is there an app to find friends for my dog?
Yes. Petwrk helps dog owners discover other pets and pet owners nearby, connect with them, message one another, and arrange dog playdates and meetups.
Petwrk isn't limited to dogs, so owners of other types of pets can participate in the community as well.
How can I find dogs for playdates near me?
Petwrk can help dog owners discover nearby pets and their owners, connect with them, and arrange playdates or meetups.
When considering a playdate, pet owners can also think about factors such as their dogs' size, age, energy level, temperament, play style, and comfort around other animals. Messaging on Petwrk makes it easy to talk through these with the other owner before you meet.
How does pet matching work on Petwrk?
Petwrk helps you discover nearby pet owners who have pets like yours or share your interests.
When you find a potential connection, you can communicate through Petwrk and arrange a playdate or meetup.
Do I need to own a pet to join Petwrk?
No. Petwrk welcomes pet owners and animal advocates. You can participate whether you have a dog, cat, reptile, exotic pet, small animal, another type of companion animal, or don't currently have a pet but want to participate in the pet community.
What types of pets can I find on Petwrk?
Petwrk isn't just for dogs and cats. Our community can include dogs, cats, reptiles, exotic pets, hamsters, bearded dragons, small animals, and many other companion animals.
People who don't currently have a pet can participate in the community as well.
Events & Pet Care Information
How can I find pet-friendly events near me?
Petwrk helps members discover pet-friendly events and activities in their local communities. Many of our current in-person events are primarily concentrated in Lake County, Illinois, and the surrounding Chicagoland area, but we plan to expand into additional communities.
We're also happy to list relevant pet and animal-related events from other locations, particularly events hosted by animal shelters, rescues, and organizations supporting animals.
Can I submit a pet or animal-related event to Petwrk?
Yes. We are happy to feature relevant pet and animal-related events, including events outside the areas where most of our current in-person activities take place.
We especially encourage animal shelters and rescue organizations to share adoption events, fundraisers, community events, educational programs, and other events that benefit animals.
Where can I find information about owning and caring for a pet?
Petwrk provides a community where pet owners can ask questions, share experiences, discover information, and learn from other members about pet ownership and care.
The Petwrk blog is also a growing educational resource covering topics such as preparing for pet ownership, socialization, enrichment, pet-friendly activities, local resources, and caring for different types of companion animals.
Community discussions and articles are general information, not professional advice. For medical, nutritional, behavioral, or other professional questions, please consult a qualified veterinarian or other pet-care professional.
Shelters, Businesses & Discounts
How does Petwrk support animal shelters and rescues?
Petwrk is built around connecting the pet community while also supporting organizations that help animals. Through the Petwrk Hearts program, engagement in the app helps support participating animal shelters through founder-matched donations, at no cost to members.
We also want to help shelters and rescues increase awareness of adoption events, fundraisers, educational programs, volunteer opportunities, and other activities supporting animals.
How do I get Petwrk member discounts?
Visit the Petwrk Storefront to explore available offers from participating pet businesses. Petwrk members can access applicable member deals and discount codes while also discovering businesses and products within the pet community.
Participating businesses include Spark Paws, Blue Sky Pet Products, Comfrt, Allergy Defender, Paris312, and more. Sign up for a free Petwrk account to reveal member discount codes.
I own a pet business. How can Petwrk support my business?
Petwrk provides opportunities for pet businesses to connect with our community through the Petwrk Shop and Petwrk Storefront.
Participating businesses can reach pet owners, offer member deals or discounts where applicable, and become part of Petwrk's growing network of pet-focused businesses.