A Smart World for Dogs

For several weeks now, there have been numerous reports of animal abuse coming from Iran. On some social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, pages have been created both to defend animals and to rally people for their extermination. Although having pets is still not common in our country, in many parts of the world, pets are considered part of the family. They are like children who never grow up and never leave their human parents! This time, we explore applications made for these loyal companions of humans. If you remember, in a previous article, we discussed the website Airbnb, where people rent out their homes or rooms for short periods, similar to a hotel. The company/application Dog Vacay does the same, but for dogs. Imagine you are going on a trip and cannot take your dog with you. This site helps you find a suitable temporary home for your dog or someone who can come to your house during the day to play with your dog. The identities of these individuals are verified by the site, and like Airbnb, previous customers rate them, allowing you to read others' reviews and, of course, the price each person charges for keeping or visiting your dog each night to decide which option is best for you. This site has over twenty thousand pet sitters across the United States. They promise not to keep your dog in a cage and to send you photos or videos of your dog every day. Dogs are insured during their stay at these individuals' homes. Founded in 2012, this company has raised over 25 million dollars so far. Dogs don't just have their own Airbnb. Now, two companies, Swifto and Wag Walking, claim they want to be the Uber for dogs—an Uber that walks them every day! Dogs need a certain amount of exercise daily (depending on their breed and age). However, their owners may not be able to manage this daily task for various reasons (from illness to long working hours or even laziness). Wag Walking introduces dog owners who live nearby so that when they walk their own dogs, they can also take your dog along. Thus, several dogs may walk together. On the other hand, Swifto hires individuals for this task. With this company's app, you can see where your dog is at any moment. While your dog is in the care of this company's staff, it has full medical insurance, and each dog has its own walker. The next successful company is Whistle, specializing in wearable technologies for your pets. They provide you with two main devices: one GPS tracker and another tiny device (the size of a small coin) that measures your pet's behavior (including its activity level throughout the day, heart rate, food intake, and sleep). Although GPS for animals is not a new invention, this successful company in San Francisco has designed it in an innovative and attractive way that fits into your pet's collar. This startup has successfully raised 15 million dollars this year, and its team is growing rapidly. Another invention that helps worried pet owners (when their pet is home alone) to alleviate their loneliness and ensure their pet is okay is Pet Cube, which is essentially a camera. You can connect to this camera (which is Wi-Fi enabled) through an app (now also viewable on Apple Watch) at any moment and, if you wish, record your pet's behavior when it is misbehaving. If you think technology for these voiceless creatures is sufficient and it's better to take them to the yard, you are sorely mistaken! Now dogs even have their own Xbox. This device entertains them with light and sound, rewards them with food, and you can track the points they earn throughout the day via your smartphone! Clever Pet, designed by a behavioral scientist and a neuroscientist who both love animals, aims to make your dogs smarter, keep them entertained, and ease your guilt for not playing with them enough!