Keeping Fido Safe; the Benefits of a GPS Tracker for your Pet

Keeping your pet safe and accounted for is one of the biggest concerns of new and seasoned pet owners. This is especially true if your pet is prone to wandering or escaping or has unique personality quirks or issues due to past trauma, or status as a rescue pet. Using the latest integrated technology can help you know where your best friend is at any given time, and also give real-time updates about pet location and behavior. How? Pet GPS trackers on collars are a safe and simple-to-use way to keep track of your dog, cat, or other furry friends.

GPS tracking is used in a wide array of contexts now, and having a special GPS tracker on your pet’s collar can be useful, and even life-saving. These GPS trackers are integrated into a collar, meaning there’s no need for painful surgery or insertion of a chip on your pet’s body. This collar works with GPS technology to give you real-time, app-based updates about your pet’s location on your smartphone or home computer.

These systems allow you to do so much more than old-fashioned chips. They allow you to set parameters beyond which you’ll get a notification should your pet leave the area. These parameters could be the boundaries of your property or ranch, and with some apps, you can also set alerts should your pet approach dangerous areas like busy roads, rivers, or railroad tracks.

These trackers generally have annual or monthly subscription rates and link up quickly with your smartphone. The best pet GPS trackers use a combination of GPS and cellular signals, so to get the maximum amount of coverage and most accurate updates, be sure to use a service that uses both signals. The special collars will need to be charged periodically, depending on the model, so be sure that you keep this in mind and charge the collar as needed. Some of these GPS tracking collars also monitor and report on pet behavior, such as excessive licking and scratching, which might signal a medical or emotional problem.

Other features, depending on the model, include a light that can be activated to help you see your pet in the dark, collars that can emit a sound for easier location, and collars that can help monitor the temperature of your pet’s location (to make sure your pet does not get too hot or too cold), and collars that track time spent napping, running, walking, and eating. Yes, even eating! Not every pet GPS tracking collar can do all of these things, but it’s worth shopping around for models which have features you find especially useful or helpful.

Above all, the pet GPS tracker should be able to give you frequent updates about real-time location. This can allow you to catch up with your pet in a hurry should they escape or wander off. This can mean the difference between getting your dog or cat back within minutes, vs. weeks. An animal can travel a considerable distance in a short amount of time, so using this tech to keep ahead of your friend can ensure they’re back home and safe quickly. No matter which kind of pet GPS tracking collar you use, you’ll be able to see where your friend is, and keep them safer. No pet tracking collar can or should substitute for you, the owner, actively watching your pet or keeping an eye on your friend, but they can be helpful in emergencies, or if you’re out of town for a few hours. It’s a simple investment that is worth making to help keep your pet safer, and closer to you.