It’s every loving pet parent’s worst nightmare. It can happen when you least expect it—your dog has gotten loose and you can’t find her! Don’t panic. In honor of National Pet Theft Awareness day, we’ve rounded up six incredible tools to connect with, track, and find your lost pup quickly.
Nextdoor Pet Directory
This concept is both awesome and simple. Neighbors upload photos and info about their pets to the directory. This includes quirks, identifying information, and fun facts that help your neighbors virtually meet your pet. If the unthinkable should happen and your dog slips out the door or through a crack in the fence, you’ll be able to notify your neighbors quickly using the directory.
Simply sign in to your Nextdoor account and click on the Pet Directory icon in the left-hand navigation. If you don’t have an account yet, sign up here. It’s quick, it’s free, and it will bring a little extra peace of mind. What’s not to love?
Pawscout Pet Finder
Pawscout Pet Finder is not only a digital pet tracker, but a community of like-minded dog guardians who will help you find Fido if he goes missing. The app:
- Tracks your dog’s movements
- Finds their last known location
- Sends out a digital “lost dog” flyer to your contacts
It also keeps you connected with your pet at all times by using radar-style tracking to hone in on their location. Plus, you can feel confident knowing that you won’t be alone while trying to find your best friend.
Finding Rover
Describing your lost dog’s unique features when in a panic can be impossible. Luckily, a picture is worth a thousand words. Community-based pet finding app Finding Rover uses facial recognition to help find your missing canine companion. If your dog goes astray, the app:
- Uses photos you uploaded to analyze your dog’s unique facial structure
- Alerts their large network of dog organizations (including rescues and veterinarians) with a photo
- Finds a match between dogs in their database and photos of found dogs
If someone has found your pup, they’ll be able to see a photo—and your dog’s important health information—and bring them home to you.
Whistle Pet GPS Tracker
The Whistle Pet GPS tracker is a wearable collar that keeps tabs on your pup’s location and updates you through your smart phone. If your dog escapes, you will be alerted immediately. Through the app you can:
- Customize your pet’s “Whistle Zone”
- Track them via GPS
- Monitor your pet’s overall health
The Whistle is waterproof and can hold up to the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of active dogs, too.
Via Flickr User Anybetty
The Nuzzle
Whether your dog is resting, playing or on the move, The Nuzzle collar uses bluetooth and GPS to let you:
- See what your dog is up to
- Track activity and health
- Find your dog if they’re on the loose
With this tracker, you don’t have to sacrifice safety for personal style. Most doggy wearables come pre-mounted to a collar, but you can fit The Nuzzle to your dog’s own collar with an attachment.
Via Flickr user Marc Dalmulder
Petpace Collar
It’s one thing to be able to see where your lost dog is headed, but it doesn’t alleviate the worry that they’re hurt or in distress while out on their own. The Petpace collar:
- Monitors their pulse
- Checks their temperature
- Analyzes respiration
- Notifies you if there are any abnormalities
By knowing the state of your dog’s health, you can prepare to get them to the vet as soon as you find them. Petpace isn’t just for dogs, either. They also have collars for your feline friends!
Via Flickr User M01229
Petcube
Ever wonder what your pet is up to in your absence? Now you can keep an eye on your pooch from afar with Petcube. Its state-of-the-art camera links with your smartphone so you can:
- Watch your pet at home
- Interact with your pet through voice and games
- Record videos to save and send
Being away from your pet is hard. But you can connect with them wirelessly, comforting them—and you—while you’re apart.
Though fast, easy and efficient, these new developments in the world of pet safety are designed to be paired with traditional methods like keeping microchip information and pet licenses current. The goal of every pet parent is to keep their furry friend healthy, happy, and secure. By taking some safety precautions and utilizing both physical and digital tools, you can make sure you’re always reunited with your best friend.
Top image via Flickr User Long Quam Phan Tong
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you decide to buy something when you click one, we may receive a small commission. We only offer recommendations that we believe in. Click here to learn more.
