Everyone can rest easy when knowing their pets will likely be located if they go missing. Technology becomes more adept every year, increasing the accuracy and safety of location and recovery tools. Discover next-generation ways people are bringing their pets home.
The advent of GPS tracking and smart collars
Smart technology connects to the internet to provide constant oversight of pets. If they wander outside, a collar could notify the owner’s phone and locate them in real time. Distance varies between products, and some allow households to set up geofences to alert them if the animal has gone too far.
“Technology enables owners and pet professionals to understand more about their animals’ worlds.”
In 2021, Lex, a 2-year-old dog that is deaf, strayed from home. His owner, who also had a hearing disability, reunited with him because of a GPS collar. The alert went directly to his watch, preventing Lex from venturing into the unknown. The notification relieved the owner, who knew calling out the dog’s name would not help.
Owners can make collars more valuable by putting essential information on the tag. If the pet goes beyond the GPS’s detectable area, specific details could get it back into the right hands. Including the name is vital since it makes it easier for people who find the animal to talk to and handle them. Other vital data includes: the owner’s phone number; microchip information; critical medical needs; owner’s address; and reward for a return.
More advanced operations could use GPS to track animals via drones. A nonprofit enlists the help of drone pilot volunteers to survey terrains when a pet goes missing. The machine’s cameras can the animal from a distance, saving the lives of countless pets.
The functionality of two-way pet cameras
Everything from auto feeders to litter boxes can have cameras embedded in them. Many feature two-way communications, letting owners remotely monitor pets during overnight stays in a nearby town or when on a quick jaunt to the grocery store. This can alleviate many anxieties for people who live alone, especially if an animal is recovering from a surgery or illness.
Some two-way cameras feature speakers so owners can talk to pets, letting them hear a familiar voice if the animal feels lonely. People can even whistle or call their pets’ names if they tell their robotic feeders to dispense a treat or two.
The improvements in microchipping data
Pet microchipping is a relatively standard practice in the modern era. The tiny, barely invasive technologies are inserted and scannable. If someone drops the animal off at a pound or vet, professionals can scan for a chip to find the owner. Microchipping capabilities are continually improving, including the quality of data that’s stored.
Many can now link to online databases chock-full of the animal’s medical information and photographs. The functionality makes identification simpler and more accurate.
A Kansas family found a stray cat on their doorstep and called animal control. After scanning the microchip, the experts discovered her name was Kireina. They located the owner, who had moved to Alaska by the time she was scanned. Kireina fended for herself for four years, but because of advanced and detailed data in her microchip, she was reunited with her owner.
The peace of mind in health trackers
Fitness trackers have become ubiquitous for humans, as nearly everyone wears an electronic fitness band or smartwatch nowadays. They have also transformed mindsets about pet care. Around 81% of Americans would use tech to reduce vet visits because of enhanced health visibility. The same technology can actively monitor pets for metrics like: heart rate; blood pressure; sleep patterns; activity; and other vital signs.
Combine this with the power of artificial intelligence, and machines could discover and report everything from irregular heartbeats to low blood sugar.
The insights are invaluable, especially for aging animals requiring additional attention. A recent study analyzed the effectiveness of activity monitors in 99 dogs with osteoarthritis. The trackers measured movement every minute for seven days. It translated the results using a model that could visualize how things like pain influence mobility. The results determined which factors affected activity the most: hindlimb t pain, muscle atrophy and age.
Improving pet safety with tech tools
Finding pets and ensuring their health and wellness has never been more precise and effective. Technology enables owners and pet professionals alike to understand more about their animals’ worlds, comprehend how they feel in their bodies and assess their well-being. Every asset helps people become more intuitive carers for animals, and it will only get better as research and development sustain momentum for these devices.
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