Dallas Animal Services’ cutting-edge customer service app that will help save animals’ lives has earned the agency a jaw-dropping $200,000, which will be used to further development and implementation of the app. According to DAS officials, the app is designed to take a big bite out of the number of animals being euthanized at the shelter.

DAS officials pitched the system — called Dallas90 Shelter Service System (D90SSS)—live on stage at the showdown, explaining how its designed to take a big bite out of the number of animals that will be euthanized at the shelter.

Dallas Animal Services said the money—earned at the third annual Innovation Showdown in New Orleans—will go towards funding the development and implementation of the app, and that once it’s developed and fine-tuned, DAS intends to share the app with shelters nationwide, allowing them to customize it for their needs and increase their ability to save animal lives.

“We are incredibly honored that so many experts in our field recognized the value of our concept and trust DAS to bring that concept to fruition,” Ed Jamison, director of Dallas Animal Services, said in a statement. “We believe that the Dallas90 Shelter Service System will help DAS, and shelters across the country, eliminate the need to euthanize adoptable animals for space.”

So, how does the D90SSS work to benefit our furry, feathered, or scaly friends?

It’s designed to streamline and improve customer service in the city’s shelter by providing indoor building navigation, the ability to request help from a customer service representative with the push of a button, adoption queue systems, customer service video chat, advanced pet searching, and more, the city says.

“DAS exceeded a 90 percent live release rate for the first time in its history in December, and we have continued to exceed that rate every month since; however, we don’t believe it is currently sustainable,” Jamison said. “The D90SSS will make that 90% rate sustainable because it will help us increase the number of adoptions by providing top-notch customer service to each person who visits us.”

The Innovation Showdown is a collaborative project from the Petco Foundation, the Jackson Galaxy Project, and top animal welfare organizations nationwide. The Showdown is intended to spark creative solutions by encouraging and investing in lifesaving innovation to reduce the number of animals euthanized in the U.S.

Investments seek a lifesaving return, not a financial return

Each participating investing organization contributed $50,000 in lifesaving funds for a total of $450,000 available to invest in the award-winning ideas, of which DAS won $200,000.

“The Innovation Showdown shows how thinking out of the box in animal welfare to solve problems is another way to help us become a life-saving nation,” Petco Foundation President Susanne Kogut said in the statement. “The nation’s top animal welfare organizations coming together to provide insight, guidance and ultimately investments to launch these ideas is instrumental to their success.”

Created in 2017 by the Petco Foundation and the Jackson Galaxy Project, The Innovation Showdown is modeled after the “Shark Tank” television show. There’s a big difference, however.

The Innovation Showdown’s ultimate goal is not a financial return on investment, rather it’s aimed at a lifesaving return on investment to save the lives of more animals.