The Petfinder integration sends eligible public pet data through Petfinder's FTP import. Configure and operate it from Settings > Petfinder.
Get FTP Access
Petfinder FTP credentials are separate from the username and password used on Petfinder's website.
From the Petfinder settings page, open the access-request dialog, provide the shelter ID and first-sync preference, and send the generated email. If Petfinder has already provided credentials, choose the existing-credentials path and enter the FTP username and password.
Administrators can save or remove credentials and turn scheduled synchronization on or off.
Review the Preview
The current page places the connection settings in a collapsible panel and the synchronization workspace below it. There is no separate Sync Data settings tab.
The preview loads automatically. Use:
- All for every eligible pet
- With Issues for records blocked by Petfinder validation
- Inline actions to open and fix a source pet
- Refresh Data after making corrections
The preview maps PawPlacer values to Petfinder fields and checks required data before a manual upload.
Data Sent
Eligible records can include:
- Name, species, breed, sex, age, size, and status
- Description and adoption details
- Contact and organization information required by the feed
- Public photos in Petfinder's supported format
Only data intended for a public listing is included.
Synchronize
Select the sync action after the issue list is clear. PawPlacer prepares the Petfinder feed, uploads it with the saved credentials, and reports the result. Correct failed records and refresh the preview before retrying.
Scheduled synchronization uses the same validation and saved connection. When enabled, PawPlacer checks the integration hourly, at approximately 10 minutes past the hour. A blocked validation or connection failure is recorded instead of uploading an incomplete feed. Petfinder may take additional time to display a successful upload.
Pause scheduled synchronization before a large cleanup or import if incomplete records should not be sent.
Common Problems
- Authentication failed: Re-enter the FTP credentials exactly as Petfinder issued them.
- Pet is missing: Confirm it is eligible for a public listing and refresh the preview.
- Validation issue: Use the inline fix action, save the pet, then refresh.
- Photos fail: Confirm the pet has accessible public images in a supported format.
- Old Petfinder content remains: Review the first-sync preservation choice and the most recent sync result.
Removing the connection stops future uploads but does not delete PawPlacer pets.
See Petfinder Settings for the shorter settings reference.