Safer nearby discovery
Find a compatible friend or playmate for your pet nearby
Create a pet profile, optionally select an approximate area, and discover nearby pets whose personality, size, and social intent may suit your pet.
Your exact location is not public. You decide whether your pet appears in Nearby.
Nearby
You control visibility
Four clear steps
From a useful profile to a safer first meeting
PetMate supports discovery and first contact. Owners remain responsible for checking compatibility, health information, and meeting safety.
- 01
Create an honest pet profile
Add species, size, age, personality, social intent, and other details that help another owner assess compatibility before contact.
- 02
Opt in to Nearby yourself
Location sharing is off by default. Select an approximate home area only if you want nearby owners to discover your pet.
- 03
Search by radius and species
Open the map, grant browser location permission only when starting the search, and choose a useful radius and species.
- 04
Learn more before meeting
Open the profile, send a friend request, or use an available conversation path. Ask about behaviour, health, and expectations first.
Privacy by design
An approximate area, not a precise home pin
Nearby is based on optional consent. Location can be removed later, and private profiles are not made discoverable by the feature.
Read the privacy policy- PetMate does not request device location automatically when the page opens.
- Saved coordinates are visible to the account owner; other users see a point rounded to roughly one kilometre and an approximate distance.
- Nearby visibility can be turned off and the saved location removed from the pet editing flow.
- Blocked, deleted, banned, or otherwise ineligible accounts and pets are excluded from results.
The first meeting
Meet calmly and always leave room to stop
- Choose a neutral, public, and safe place.
- Start with a short walk or controlled introduction.
- Ask about vaccination, health, and behaviour before meeting.
- Do not force contact; watch for stress and aggression signals.
- Keep the first meeting supervised by the owners.
- Block and report an account if communication becomes pressuring or suspicious.
Useful when you are looking for
- a regular walking companion for your dog
- a calm and compatible playmate
- local pet owners after moving to a new area
- pets with a similar energy level and social style
- a useful profile before an anonymous group post
Frequently asked questions
How do I find nearby pet friends?
Create a PetMate account and pet profile, optionally enable Nearby visibility, open the Nearby map, and start a search. You can then open a relevant pet profile and use an available contact path.
Does PetMate show my exact location to other people?
No. The point shown to other users is rounded to roughly one kilometre and paired with an approximate distance. Do not add your precise home address to a profile or early conversation.
Is location sharing required?
No. Nearby visibility is off by default and can be disabled again later. Other public and account features remain subject to their own requirements.
When does the browser ask for location permission?
Browser location permission is requested only after the user starts a location-based search or presses the location selection control, not automatically on page load.
How can I assess whether two dogs may play well together?
Compare size, age, energy, social style, and known behaviour. Ask about health and vaccination, then start with a short supervised meeting in a neutral place.
Does PetMate verify pet health and behaviour?
No. Profile information is user-provided unless a specific check is explicitly described. Owners must independently verify health, behaviour, ownership, and other important facts.
What should I do if another user seems suspicious?
Do not share sensitive data or arrange a meeting. Use blocking and reporting, and contact PetMate support or an appropriate authority when necessary.
Can this work for cats and other pets?
Search may support several species, but meeting suitability and safety depend on the species and individual animal. Dog playdate guidance should not be applied automatically to other animals.
Useful next pages
Start with one complete pet profile
Good matching starts with honest details. Add your pet, control location visibility, and learn more before the first meeting.
Create a pet profileUpdated 28 July 2026