Gps Collar Finds Stray Pets

[Tilly]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/gps-collar-finds-stray-pets/story-fn6ck51p-1226091442311

A GPS pet-tracking device has been launched by the RSPCA in an effort to curb the number of stray animals that end up in shelters each year.

RSPCA refuges take in more than 30,000 dogs, cats, kittens and puppies each year across the state and authorities are hoping the device will reduce the number of lost pets.

The small device, which costs $269, can pinpoint a lost pet within about 10m and can be attached to any animal's collar using a waterproof plastic case.

The TrakaPet GPS Animal Tracking System keeps owners informed of their pet's movements by texting map co-ordinates to a sync-ed smartphone. They can then be plotted on to Google Maps.

"Safe zones", such as a backyard or home, also can be programmed into the device.

As soon as the animal leaves the area, its owner will receive an alert via SMS.

RSPCA Queensland chief executive Mark Townend said TrakaPet was not a substitute for proper pet care, but allowed owners to keep tabs on their "little Houdinis".

"Obviously we encourage pet owners to make certain their animals are kept secure but this is an excellent back-up," Mr Townend said.

"Despite their owners' best intentions, we have some pets that manage to escape on a regular basis and end up at the shelter."

The device allowed RSPCA Queensland senior veterinarian Anne Chester to locate her poodle, Ned, who recently disappeared for several hours from her semi-rural home south of Brisbane.

The GPS device attached to his collar allowed Dr Chester to track him down to a nearby property in Beaudesert.

"We just turned up to their place at 8.30pm with our laptop and gumboots and told them our dog was in their back paddock," she said. "We'd never even met them."

Dr Chester said her three dogs no longer left the house without the locator.

"If I've been a bit slack and haven't charged them up, they don't get to go out," she said.

TrakaPet kits can be bought at the RSPCA World for Pets store at the Springwood Centre at Underwood or online at www.worldforpets.com.au. All profits go to the RSPCA.

Edited July 10, 2011 by Tilly

[Burkes]

Oooh, I could have used one of these. My current foster dog is a prolific fence jumper. I continue to keep extending the fence, have made internal fences, do daily training plus lots of exercise but as soon as I block off one spot she will find another....and she travels far!!!

Because she is a foster dog, I need to essentially 'test' what her requirements are in regards to fencing and exercise. When I hit 6ft colourbond fencing all around the block as well as an internal fence 1m out from that I thought I had her beat. Nope, 5 days later she was gone again.

Anyway, looks now like she will need a home with a roofed dog run, not easy to find. Or, she will just stay with me so I can make sure she is safe :D

But this would have been soooooo handy on all those days I spent driving the streets looking for her.

Miss Houdini

Edited July 10, 2011 by Burkes

[sandgrubber]

Great system. If it works.

Somebody want a good small business . . . try renting these devices to people with Houdini's. 'For less than a dollar a day, you can keep track of your escape artist' . . .. at $29.95/mo the thing will pay for itself in less than 10 months . . .put people on a 24 month contract like the phone companies do and you've got a license to print money!

[Muttaburra]

I have mixed feelings about this. Serial fence jumpers and escapees often get themselves in tight situations and are the kind of dogs most vulnerable to collar strangulation fatalities.

Even when I leave my dogs in the car (in sheltered underground car parks) I unclip thier collars in case they catch it on something. Usually they are all curled up on the seats, but sometimes one has moved to the back seat so you don't know what they will get up to.

There are break-free collars, but I don't know how fail safe they are.

Anyway, maybe I will wait for a nano implantable version of a GPS trackable chip.

[Tilly]

Maybe it is something that can added to a harness? It is a good idea for maybe a foster dog or even a new dog that while you believe the yard is safe ... it might be the first time they are left unattended in the yard or during fire works or storms. A bit of extra insurance as such.

I like the idea of the text message if the dog leaves the "safe zone" - so you find out asap and not when you get home.

I would like to see it a bit smaller ... it looks awful big and bulky.

[SwaY]

It's a great idea if it stays on - if someone takes it off or the dog gets it off it's pointless.

Now if was GPS in a micro chip, I would be lining up to get all my dogs one!

[Sayreovi]

Now if was GPS in a micro chip, I would be lining up to get all my dogs one!

Me too!! My dog's aren't escape artists but accidents happen and dogs can get out, I would much rather know as soon as they leave the yard then when I get home a few hours afterwards.

[Tempus Fugit]

You wouldn't be able to get a GPS dog tracker into an implantable RFI chip because you need a device on the dog with enough power, which means a rechargeable or replaceable battery, and sufficiently sized antenna to transmit the dog's GPS coordinates to a remote receiver, depending on type, a special handheld receiver or a mobile phone tower. Also the dog's device needs to be able to resolve the weak signals from the GPS satellites, which again needs are larger antenna than what can be put into an RFI microchip sized device. (Remember a typical RFI reader needs to be very close to the dog to read the data - since the RFI chip doesn't have its own battery, the reader needs to supply the power to the chip so that it can transmit its data back to the reader).

You can get short range wristwatch sized locating devices to put on children that might wander off at a picnic ground but that is about the smallest. Because of the short range they wouldn't be suitable for dogs.

GPS dog tracking collars have been around for a number of years and are commonly advertised in hunting magazines. You can also Google on them. The most popular brand appears to be Garmin.

[Horse2008]

The problem with a GPS on/in a dog would be that ANYONE with a reciever could watch and track when and where your pet goes, which can be used by thieves to determine when your home, by nasty people to know when to steal the dog...the possibility for nastiness is endless. The government is also one step closer to controlling thhe people of this country...

[Greytmate]

The problem with a GPS on/in a dog would be that ANYONE with a reciever could watch and track when and where your pet goes, which can be used by thieves to determine when your home, by nasty people to know when to steal the dog...the possibility for nastiness is endless. The government is also one step closer to controlling thhe people of this country...

I don't think so.

That sounds more like a conspiracy theory than anything based on reality.

[john.davey.1960]

The problem with a GPS on/in a dog would be that ANYONE with a reciever could watch and track when and where your pet goes, which can be used by thieves to determine when your home, by nasty people to know when to steal the dog...the possibility for nastiness is endless. The government is also one step closer to controlling thhe people of this country...

Sadly that is entirely correct horse. The naieve will beg to differ but they are not acting in the dog's best interests.