For most of us, a pet is more than just an animal that lives in our house; it is a part of our family. When we come home, we are expecting to be greeted by the woof or meow of our furry friend. And when we are not, we start to panic, especially if it is a dog. Cats are notorious for staring at owners while they are going crazy calling their names. In either case, having a pet GPS can help you pinpoint the location of your pet easily and quickly.

There are a lot of different types of pet GPS to choose from but they will all have a transmitter that stays on your pet, usually on a collar. They are battery operated and, in many cases, will let you know automatically when they need to be replaced. The transmitters will send you a message when your pet is not where it is supposed and give you its location. Or, anytime you wish to know where your pet is, you can ask the transmitter to tell you.

Different models of pet tracking devices use different technology to send signals. Some use radio frequencies. At least one uses mobile phone triangulation, rather than true GPS. Others use cell phone modems to transmit their information.

Most of the models available, however, do use the GPS technology. And there are a variety of special features available. You can usually program the system to know the acceptable areas for your pet to be, and it will then know when it needs to be tracked. The system can notify you in a number of ways, depending on the model, including phone, fax, text message and email.

There is not yet agreement over how well GPS works in the tracking of pets. Many say that, if your pet is stolen, the thief will just take off the collar right away so you will have no useful information. However, if it is not stolen, and has run away or gotten lost, this technology can help to get your pet back quickly and safely.

Another concern is the short life of the batteries. But many of these devices will let you know when the batteries should be replaced. Even if they wear out before you find your pet, you will at least know where it was heading. There are also brands that can store a history of your pets movements for up to a week.

Many times, the GPS tracking device is compared to the pet microchip. While these are sometimes referred to as GPS chips, that is an incorrect term. They do not use GPS. Rather, they need to be scanned to read the information on them. If your pet is lost or somehow ends up at a vet or animal shelter, chips can be instrumental in the return of your pet. If, however, your pet is lost in the countryside, the chip will be of no use.

Is a pet GPS a smart purchase for you and your furry friend? That is partly dependent on your pet. But if they have a tendency to run off, or if there is concern that it could be inadvertently let out, for example, this technology may be exactly what you need to get your pet back safely.

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