Dogs and Cats Entering the Computer Age

Bill Clinton once said that 20 years ago no one, but the most scientifically superior, knew about the internet… and now (as he put it): “…even my dog has a blog”, so it’s no surprise that the high technology marketplace is wanting to expand computer usage to our dog friends.

In accordance to a recent report in the Toronto Star, Snaptracs Inc., a division of the technology giant Qualcomm, is releasing a product called Tagg which will let you to use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and mobile phone technology to monitor your lost pet. Tagg is a collar-attached GPS that transmits back to a base at home. Prior to fitting the collar, proprietors will into the system an appropriate range for the pet. Once the pet leaves the acceptable range, or “geofence” in Tagg parlance, an email is sent to the owners’ telephone.

Producers of the Tagg product additionally promote that it can be utilized on cats as well, provided they weigh 10 pounds, or more. In the United States, Tagg is offered to Verizon telecommunications clients. At presentt, no deal has been worked out with a Canadian phone service to allow the system to operate north of the border, but it definitely won’t be long before dog owners on each side of the border have access to this product.

Customers of the Tagg system can have to pay a monthly membership fee, on top of initiall outlay to buy the collar clip and base unit.

Snaptracs Inc. isn’t the first to market a tech product for lost pets. For years now, pet owners have had their vets install a microchip that will identify your pet, if found and taken to a vet for scanning.Though microchips are substantially less costly compared to the more superior Tagg, it suffers the disadvantage of being a “Tennessee Williams” approach- one that “…relies on the kindness of strangers”- in that you need to hope that someone turns in your lost pet.

Meanwhile, a different US manufacturer, GIBI Technologies desires to create a mobile social networking site for pets, allowing owners to connect over favorite spots, activities, and products.

How about if you want to know whether your dog walker has performed his job today? Well, yet another American producer believes they possess the answer; Pet Check Technology has invented a system to keep tabs on walkers by having them scan a bar code on their cell phones at the start and end of their walk.

A lot of pet owners may find this all to be quite interesting…just as long as their dogs don’t end up with more friends on Facebook than they do! So check out an online pet store today to see if you can find any of these nifty pet gadgets.

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