Hundreds of thousands of pets go missing every year, and according to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, only 15 to 20 percent of lost dogs and only two percent of lost cats are ever returned to their owners. Tagg – Qualcomm’s new electronic pet tracker, is a purpose-built solution that uses a sophisticated combination of GPS and wireless technology to monitor a pet’s location and quickly notify the owner via email and/or text if the pet leaves its Tagg zone, the area where it spends most of its time—typically the home, yard and adjacent areas.
The waterproof Tagg tracker securely attaches to your dog’s collar with a two-piece clip. When your dog wanders, the Tagg system send an e-mail or text to notify you. To keep track of your pet’s location, an Internet connection on a PC, Mac or Smartphone is required (supported browser compatibility includes: Windows IE 7 and 8, Mozilla Firefox 3.x and Macintosh Firefox 3.x, and Safari 5).
A subscription to the Tagg service is also required. Each Tagg tracker must be paired to a docking station in order for system to function, and multiple Tagg trackers can be used with one docking station. The Pet Tracker service is provided on the Verizon Wireless network, giving pet parents reliable access to tracking information via its nationwide coverage. The Tagg Master Kit, which includes all hardware and one full year of service, is $199.99 and has an anticipated September ship date. Individual trackers for additional pets in the same family are also available.
We’ve not yet had a chance to get our paws on the Tagg for a test, but given the (relative) affordability, if it works well, Qualcomm may very well have a hit on its hands. What is your opinion? Is $200 a fair price for peace of mind? Or is technology making us lazy pet parents? Either way, stay tuned to LWD for an upcoming review and giveaway of the Tagg system.
