Cape Coral woman makes it her mission to unite lost pets with their owners

When it comes to finding purpose, Lori Briggs knows exactly where to look. "Everybody has something they're good at," said Briggs. "I can walk around and say your dog's coming here, and they'll be like, how do you know?" Decades ago, Briggs spent her days as a crime scene investigator scouting for skid marks and palm prints. These days, it's paw prints that Briggs is probing for. "I can show you how to throw a trap out and put food in it, but the instincts, and the feelings, and knowing what to look for," said Briggs. "I can't teach that. How do you teach that?" So far, Briggs has reunited over thirteen hundred animals with their owners. It's work that's more grueling than a full-time job, and Briggs does it for free. "I'd have a lot more money in the bank if this wasn't my 'hobby' per se," said Briggs. What keeps Briggs going certainly isn't the lack of a paycheck. It's something much more. "It's the look on the dog's face when I catch it, yeah. It's a good feeling," said Briggs. Briggs proves that in pursuing purpose, we'll find exactly where we're meant to be. "You've got one chance at this life," said Briggs. "You don't get do-overs. So if there's something you want to do, do it." Briggs accepts donations to help keep her work going. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.