2026Sniff dog adoption app
Dog adoption app | Swipe match and adopt indie dogs
A dating app inspired adoption platform that matches people with dogs from shelters near them, guides you through every step till adoption day.
- Type
- Concept Project
- Platform
- Sniff mobile app
- Scope
- Research, flows, UI
THE CONTEXT
Shelters are full and the tools haven’t moved in a decade. Adoption sites sort living animals like inventory, by breed, by looks and them dump you into email chains and endless printable pdf applications
PROBLEMS
- Looks first browsing
- People have no idea if the dog is fit to their current living conditions
- The paperwork cliff
- Application is a printable pdf and a two-week wait, that’s where most adopters give up
- Silence both ways
- Volunteer run shelters juggle inboxes, adopters hear nothing for days and assume no
OPPORTUNITY AREAS
Swipe to discover
A familiar dating-app gesture turns browsing into something people would want to do.
Match on lifestyle
A short quiz and filters surface dogs that fit your home and routine.
A jouney, not a form
Chat, apply, meet and adopt, with every step tracked in one place.
CONSTRAINTS
- Make swiping feel genuine
- Match by lifestyle
- Keeping shelters and adopters in loop
THE APPLICATION
Sniff is a mobile app that makes adopting India’s indie dogs simple, personal and engaging. Inspired by dating apps, it lets users swipe through shelter dogs, filter by lifestyle fit, and send likes directly to rescues. Once a shelter likes them back, users can chat, apply and book a meet, all in one place. A guided journey tracks every step from the first like to adoption day, so the process feels clear and trustworthy.
Onboarding
Lifestyle Match
Discover
THE HOOK
One face, one promise, no carousal of illustrations
THE MECHANIC
Teaches the swipe with real, currently adoptable dogs
THE PROMISE
Kills the biggest fear, bureaucracy by showing the whole journey as a finishable checklist.
A three-question quiz asks about home, experience and your dog size preference, so it only shows dogs that suit adopter’s lifestyle.
Each card leads with a large photo and shows the dog’s name, age, shelter and personality traits at a glance. Users swipe or tap to pass or like, and every like goes straight to the shelter.
A bottom sheet that opens over the Discover feed. Users can narrow the deck by size, temperament, compatibility with kids and other dogs, and experience level, using simple chips, toggles and a slider. One tap on Done applies the filters and takes them straight back to swiping.
The Match Moment
When the shelter likes you back its mutual!
Each card leads with a large photo and shows the dog’s name, age, shelter and personality traits at a glance. Users swipe or tap to pass or like, and every like goes straight to the shelter.
Every dog you’ve liked, in one tidy grid.
All your shelter conversations together
Every dog you’ve liked, in one tidy grid.
A short, guided form that replaces lengthy adoption paperwork. Questions appear one section at a time, with completed answers collapsing as the user moves ahead. A progress bar shows how far along they are, and Save Draft lets them pause and return anytime.
A clear timeline that tracks every step of the adoption, from the first like to adoption day. Completed steps are checked off, the current step is highlighted with key details like the meet-up address, and upcoming steps stay visible. Users always know where things stand and what comes next.
UI ELEMENTS
DESIGN SYSTEM
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
PERSONAL LEARNINGS
Balancing tone with responsibility - A playful visual language can coexist with a serious purpose when it’s supported by clear information hierarchy and transparent processes.
Simplifying complex processes - Breaking a lengthy adoption application into short, focused steps showed how chunking information improves completion and reduces drop-off.
Designing for both sides of a marketplace - The experience had to work for adopters and shelters alike, which meant balancing ease of use for one with minimal workload for the other.