Twitter post
Discover pet-friendly spots across the US & EU with Pet Friendly Places! Find cafes, parks, hotels + connect with fellow pet parents. 🐾 #BuiltWithMeDo
Your skills (individual words)
JavaScript, React, HTML, CSS, Geolocation, Firebase, API integration, UX/UI, Node.js, MongoDB, Authentication, ResponsiveDesign
Inspiration
As a dog owner who’s struggled to find reliable pet-friendly spots while traveling across the US and Europe, I knew I wasn’t alone. Too many times, I’d show up at a café only to be turned away, or book a hotel without confirming pet amenities. That frustration sparked the idea: a one-stop platform where pet parents could share, review, and find trusted pet-friendly places—no guesswork, just joy with our furry companions.
What it does
Pet Friendly Places lets users search for pet-friendly cafes, parks, hotels, and shops by location, pet type, or amenities (like water bowls or outdoor areas). It also features pet events, a community feed for tips/emergency help, and the ability to add new spots or leave detailed reviews—all tailored to US/EU pet owners.
How we built it
We started with core wireframes for the home/place detail pages, then built the frontend with React (for responsive UI) and Bootstrap for mobile compatibility. The backend uses Node.js/Express to handle data, with MongoDB storing place/event/community data. We integrated Google Maps API for map views, Firebase for authentication (email/Google/Facebook login), and Cloudinary to manage user-uploaded photos (enforcing 10MB size limits).
Challenges we ran into
Geolocation permission errors were a big hurdle—we had to design fallback logic (default US center) for users who denied access. We also struggled with real-time filter updates on the place list page; after testing multiple approaches, we optimized state management in React to make filters apply seamlessly. Ensuring event times displayed in local time zones (via browser settings) required tricky date-time parsing, too.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We built a fully functional platform where users can sign up, add places, leave reviews, and explore via grid/map views—all responsive across mobile/desktop. The community feed’s emergency post highlighting works flawlessly, and we nailed the core user flow: search → filter → view details → review. Most importantly, it solves a real pain point for pet parents like me.
What we learned
We deepened our understanding of geolocation API limitations and user privacy tradeoffs. We also learned how to balance MVP simplicity (no moderation queue for new places) with user trust, and mastered real-time state management for filter systems. Building for two regions (US/EU) taught us to prioritize location flexibility in search/filter logic.
What's next for this project
First, we’ll add a business owner dashboard so spots can claim their listings and update info. We also plan to roll out push notifications for new events/reviews, and expand referral rewards (a requested feature from beta users). Long-term, we want to add multi-language support (starting with Spanish/French) and test a native mobile app prototype—all to make pet-friendly travel even easier across the US and Europe.
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