Connected devices improve nutrition, safety, and comfort for household pets
Pets are experiencing their own technological revolution. In recent years, new technologies have forcefully entered the market for products intended for dogs and cats, redefining the concepts of animal care and welfare. Sensors, smart cameras, automated feeders and artificial intelligence collars are among the devices that are in high demand in the country, keeping pace with the global trend.
The numbers confirm this. In 2023, the global “pet technology” market moved over US$6 billion, and is expected to reach US$17 billion in 2030 according to consulting firm Fortune Business Insights. This phenomenon seems to respond to a cultural change: for younger generations, pets are part of the family and their well-being is managed with the same logic as any smart home.
In Argentina, where seven in ten households live with a dog or cat, amounting to one of the highest rates in the region, it is Millennials and members of Generation Z who are most promoting the concept of the Smart Pet Home: connected devices that improve the nutrition, safety and rest of household pets.
Consumer professionals agree that the pandemic and remote work have strengthened the emotional bond with pets, and that current routines — long days away from home, business trips, small spaces — foster solutions that allow animals to be monitored, fed, and entertained even from a distance.
However, smart devices for pets are no longer an imported rarity and are now part of the catalog of many specialized stores and online sales sites.
Most requested
Among the most in-demand items are tracking collars that work by combining communication technologies to locate our pets in real time. These devices send the location of their pets via cellular or Wi-Fi to an app on the owner’s phone, allowing them to see their way on a map. The system can also send alerts if the animal moves too far, is left behind, or detects unusual movement.
Pet owners who spend long hours outside also have smart feeders. These are automatic dispensers that allow you to program daily feedings, see the pet in real time, and activate parts from your cell phone. Some even come with a camera with night vision and the ability to record voice messages.
For more demanding owners, there are also advanced collars capable of monitoring their pet’s health by recording heart rate, breathing, temperature, activity, sleep and other vital parameters every few minutes. Some models analyze patterns using artificial intelligence and detect early signs of pain or illness, which is especially important for pets with advanced ages or chronic diseases.
A strange but increasingly sought-after option is a wireless doorbell that allows an animal to be notified when it wants to enter or leave the house without scratching doors or barking. It is activated by a light touch and has a range of up to 300 metres. Some models have multiple configurable melodies, adjustable volume, and Velcro for fastening.
To solve the problem of lack of physical activity in pets that spend long hours indoors away from their owners, there are also independent interactive balls that move on their own, change direction when encountering obstacles, and light up LED lights to attract the attention of cats and dogs.
In the face of such a display, it seems clear that new technologies have already gained a place in the pet care industry and are unlikely to continue to grow. Sector experts predict that its future will be a combination of biometric data, artificial intelligence and animal welfare.
In other words: Caring for a dog or cat will no longer depend only on affection and routine, but will also depend on devices able to anticipate their needs whether their caregivers are with them at home or not.
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