29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
When dogs swipe right: A new app helps pets find their perfect match
HYDERABAD: In a small park in Hyderabad, a Labrador named Simba is running in circles around a Labrador named Tia. Their tails wag, their noses bump gently, and their humans watch with quiet satisfaction. This joyful moment didn't happen by accident-it was set up through a dating app. But not for people-for dogs.
Welcome to the world of Doffair, a matchmaking app built to help dogs meet compatible companions in urban India.
'The idea came from a simple observation,' says Mourya Kompelly, the founder of Doffair. 'I couldn't have a dog myself, but every time I visited someone who did, I saw how isolated the pets often were. Urban lifestyles don't leave much room for socialising-especially for animals.'
The team behind Doffair soon discovered that this wasn't just an occasional problem. After speaking with veterinarians, pet parents, and groomers, they found that a large number of dogs were suffering from anxiety, boredom, and behavioural issues because of a lack of regular interaction with other dogs.
'We realised that this wasn't just about playdates or mating,' the founder says. 'It was about emotional well-being. Dogs need social bonding, just like we do. But there was no structured platform to help with that.'
So Doffair was born-not just as a dating app, but as a platform to connect pet parents, local pet service providers, and even vets. The app launched in March, testing among 100 users. In just two months, it crossed 10,000 downloads. The early growth was mostly organic, with videos from pet events going viral on social media.
'We didn't expect the response to be this fast,' says the founder. 'But the idea clicked. People were waiting for something like this,' he added.
