Oracle APEX Online Animal Shelter

Case Study: Oracle APEX Application for an Online Animal Shelter

Introduction

In recent years, the need for efficient and user-friendly platforms for animal shelters has become increasingly important. This case study explores the development and implementation of an Oracle APEX application designed to serve as an online animal shelter. The application leverages data sourced from an employee-facing Microsoft database via a database link, allowing for a seamless and consumer-friendly experience for potential pet adopters.

Project Overview

The online animal shelter application aims to provide a comprehensive platform for searching and filtering kennel residents. The application enables users to find pets based on various criteria, including:

• Pet Type (e.g., dog, cat, etc.)

• Gender

• Status (e.g., lost, ready for adoption)

• Age

• Breed

• Color and more

By translating the raw data into a user-friendly format, the application not only enhances the visibility of pets available for adoption but also streamlines the process for potential adopters, providing them with comprehensive information about a potential pet to enable informed decision making.

Data Integration

The application relies on a robust integration between the Oracle database and the Microsoft database. This integration is facilitated through a database link, which allows for real-time data access and updates. The key steps involved in this process include:

1. Data Extraction: Data is extracted from the Microsoft database, which contains detailed records of animals in the shelter.

2. Data Transformation: The extracted data is transformed into a format suitable for consumer viewing. This includes renaming fields, converting codes into human-readable text, and ensuring data consistency.

Application Features

The Oracle APEX application includes several key features designed to enhance user experience:

• Search Functionality: Users can easily search for pets using a search bar that allows for keyword entry.

• Advanced Filtering: Users can filter results based on multiple criteria, making it easier to find the perfect pet.

• Report Subscriptions: Users can create an email subscription to automatically receive notifications of new pets meeting their search criteria.

• Detailed Pet Profiles: Each pet has a dedicated profile page that includes photos, descriptions, and adoption status.

• User-friendly Interface: The application is designed with a clean and intuitive interface, ensuring that users can navigate the platform with ease.

Benefits of the APEX Application

The implementation of the Oracle APEX application has yielded numerous benefits for both the shelter and potential adopters:

1. Increased Visibility: The application provides a platform for showcasing available pets, increasing their chances of adoption.

2. Streamlined Adoption Process: By allowing users to filter and search for pets, the application simplifies the adoption process. Information provided on the pets yielded a reduction in return adoptions as adopters were aware of behavior and health needs of the pets.

3. Real-time Updates: The integration with the Microsoft database ensures that the information displayed is always current and accurate.

4. Enhanced User Engagement: A user-friendly interface encourages more people to explore adoption options, fostering a community of pet lovers. Time on-site was reduced significantly and adoption rates increased after implementation.

Adjunct Project Deliverables

To go along with the APEX application, we delivered several complementary solutions to further assist potential adopters with their journey to find their next forever friend.

1. Giant TVs on the walls outside the kennels scrolls color-coded, accessible reports of the pets within the kennel to assist adopters with "pre-shopping"

2. QR codes on each kennel within the shelter take potential adopters to the pet profile of kennel resident. This profile offers information on health, medical treatments, play activities and behaviors and more.

3. A Kiosk at the Pet Center's entrance allows potential adopters to touch the screen and look through the kennel's residents, including looking for lost pets who might be in the kennel waiting to be reunited.

Conclusion

The Oracle APEX application for the online animal shelter represents a significant advancement in how shelters can connect with potential adopters. By utilizing data from an employee-facing Microsoft database and transforming it for consumer-friendly viewing, the application not only enhances the visibility of available pets but also streamlines the adoption process. With features designed to facilitate user engagement and real-time data updates, this application serves as a model for future projects aimed at improving animal welfare through technology.