() Babs Fry has made it her life’s work to help families find their missing pets.

For more than a decade, Fry has reunited hundreds of dogs with their owners through her nonprofit, A Way Home for Dogs.

Fry said she was motivated to start her nonprofit because she lost a dog that was later returned to her by a stranger, and she decided to pay it forward. She said that while her work is a 24/7 effort, it’s rewarding to see happy families get their dogs back.

Fry said each day is dramatically different from the last. She might take on several cases daily, or less on slower days. She averages one to two pet recoveries a day.

While she is based in San Diego, California, Fry said she helps owners worldwide. She said she takes many phone calls to learn more about the dogs and how they behave, so she has the best chances of retrieving them and returning them to their families.

Fry said there are times when she does fieldwork in southern California, but she has a team of people she’s coached to find missing pets in other states and countries.

Fry advised people who want to follow in her footsteps to connect with experts and maintain a strong commitment to the effort.

“It’s a lot more than textbook. There’s a lot of field work that goes into it as well,” Fry said.