Dog Matching Apps Put Finding Perfect Pet In Palm Of Your Hand

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Dating apps put the power to meet people in the palm of your hand: Swipe right if you're interested, and left if you're not.

Now the same idea is helping to pair dogs in desperate need of a home with potentials owners with so-called "dog dating apps."

CBS2's Don Dahler found Joey, Jewel and Holden posing for adoption portraits at New York's Animal Haven.

"The challenges for us is trying to help as many animals as we can," said Tiffany Lacey, the rescue's executive director.

The right of social media and a platform connecting strangers has been a big change for helping the dogs.

"I can't even begin to tell you how big a difference the world of animal welfare," said Lacey. "As soon as we post a picture people are coming to the shelter to meet the animal. It's really turned the whole thing on its head."

Pictures of these pups will join the more than 125,000 posted nationwide on apps like Bark Buddy.

"It behaves just like Tinder except instead of finding a date, you're finding a dog that can be your best friend," said Stacie Grissom of Bark, a disrupter in the pet toy and treat industry best known for its Barkbox monthly subscription service.

"We do get to work with our dogs," Grissom said. "That's one of the bigger perks."

Getting animals online with the apps is easy.

"There are thousands of shelters across the country that are uploading their dogs to Pet Finder," she said. "We are able to pull all of that information in a way that's fun, and engaging, and not what you would expect."

Like popular dating apps, dog lovers swipe right to like and left to pass.

"Why would you swipe left on a puppy?" Grissom said.

"When we found Jax's photo it was instantaneous," said Rebekah Faria. "He had his ears flapping, he looked like a complete dingus. It was love at first sight."

Faria's reaction was not uncommon, nor is finding love at first site through the matching services.

"I believe in that, but it's the beginning process," Grissom said. "Just like in human dating, you gotta get to know them."