Wannabe puppy parents, avert your eyes. And you might want to lose your Tinder and Instagram passwords while you’re at it.

Pet adoption agencies like Social Tees and Austin Pets Alive are getting creative – they’re using apps with huge and ever-increasing usage numbers, Tinder and Instagram, respectively, to identify and engage with prospective pet owners.

Tinder, the popular hook-up, ahem, dating app has teamed up with Social Tees to help find homes for New York City’s abandoned dogs. According to an article in Inc., “Tinder users swipe through photo profiles of the dogs. If they swipe ‘yes,’ a link to the nonprofit that rescued the dog appears with information on how to adopt.” The initial numbers are pretty incredible. More than 1,500 “matches” were made between pups and humans within 24 hours. Y’all, Tinder may have found its higher calling.

Locally, Austin Pets Alive (APA) is using Instagram to inspire warm fuzzy feelings and, hopefully, adoptions. I mean, look at this little guy.(In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve looked at this picture probably five times today. So by the time you read this, Chunky Monkey–yes, that’s his real name–might be riding shotgun in my Corolla.)

Rebecca, part of APA’s marketing team, said the goal in creating the Instagram feed was to expose folks who love pet photos to Austin Pets Alive – and to encourage conversations between APA staff and Austinites who are considering adopting.

It’s not clear yet whether these social tactics will actually result in more adoptions, but it’s great to see nonprofit organizations using free tools in clever ways to drive conversation… and squeals of glee. Ok, maybe that last part’s just me.