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A German animal shelter is trying a new approach to find homes for abandoned pets: it is posting their profiles on dating app Tinder in the hope that lonely humans looking for love might also settle for the company of a cat or a dog.

The Munich Animal Welfare Association got an advertising agency to shoot professional pictures of 15 animals including a black-and-white cat called "Captain Kirk" that it put on Tinder.

Jillian Moss from the animal shelter said several people have swiped right on Tinder to set up their first "date": "The response is insane, it's exploding everywhere."

After coronavirus lockdowns led to a surge in pet ownership, animal welfare experts have warned that many animals might be abandoned as the pandemic wanes.

"We hope that these animals really find a new partner, a 'purrfect match' in the long term and not just for a few weeks," said Benjamin Beilke, who is coordinating Tinder communication.

"There aren't only lonely souls among humans, but there are also a lot of lonely souls among animals."