Each year, almost half of the animals entering animal shelters around the country are strays or lost pets. Pet's can't tell tracking devices anyone who their owner is and where they live so how do you find you beloved family member should you become separated?
There are about three different solutions to locating lost pets. One is the little metal or plastic tag that hangs from the pet's collar. The tag has the name of the pet, the home address and, maybe, a phone number of the owner. The microchip is another solution. They're inexpensive, passive implants that are injected under the pet's skin and can be scanned with a specialized wand when the missing pet is brought to a veterinarian. Another solution is a pet GPS tracking system. These GPS locators attach to your pet's collar and can remotely locate your pet at almost any time however; pet tracking devices are more expensive than the microchip. Even so, there is a large populace of empty nesters who are filling those nests with pets, and young couples are raising pets before committing to the bigger responsibility of raising children and they are more focused on their four-legged family members then ever. Pet owners today are willing to spend or splurge when consumers in other venues are cutting back.
Besides being more expensive than microchips, tracking devices can come off with collars. Some tracking units are ineffective in areas where there isn't consistent cell phone or internet connection. If pet owners relocate, the new location will not be on the chip, resulting in loss of time and more stress trying to trace where the lost pet's family is currently living but the advantages of a GPS tracking system far outweigh the little tag and the microchip solutions. The American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR) was developed to help lower the number of missing pets in the United States which is beneficial to society by reducing the number of strays and lost pets. In turn, this relieves the overcrowding of animal shelters and humane societies. Many hunters use some type of GPS tracking system to keep from losing their dogs in the field or woods. Tracking systems utilize 20 satellites or more to track the actual location of your pet but if you're in an area without good satellite connection, you may want to use GPS tracking systems in addition to other locators like a microchip.
Know what your needs are before you buy tracking equipment for protecting your pet. GPS locators can be monitored by handsets, cell phones, or computers and can be designed to work within a certain range so look for a dog tracking device with long battery life, and make sure the range is suitable for your area. Good GPS tracking systems will go through floors, walls or other objects that can reduce range. Some pet GPS models can give a history of your dog's movement over the last seven days and lets you create visual safety zones for your pet. Also, consider the weight of the dog tracker device and keep your pet's size in mind. Very small dogs may find wearing tracking systems uncomfortable, and may suffer neck or back injuries if forced to wear a heavy pet tracker unit for a long period of time.
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