news, local-news, pod, gps, orange, Petbarn, Sebastian Langton

IF you have ever spent hours driving or walking around Orange searching for your pet, the latest in doggie and moggie tracking technology could save the day. Pet owners can track their animals with the help of a small GPS device attached to the pet’s collar and synchronised with a smartphone. “Wherever there is reception you can follow where your dog has gone,” Petbarn Orange manager Jason Ribbon said. “There are a lot of people out there who may find their dog has got away from them. “Wherever there is phone coverage you can track your pet, it’s a great invention.” Mr Ribbons said after a pet-owner synchronised their smartphone with the device, a map showed up on the phone pinpointing the location of a lost pet. “The map is very similar to the in-car GPS systems,” he said. The new Pod tracker for pets was created by Australian Sebastian Langton, who lost his cat and, when he researched the topic, found one in three pets went missing in their lifetime. Unable to finance the development of a prototype for the GPS device himself, Mr Langton turned to social media and crowdfunding. He received a huge global response, clearly from pet owners wanting to curb the adventures of their errant pets. The devices have been available to purchase on the internet in the past, however, now people can buy this device over the counter. Mr Langton will launch his invention in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe in 2016. janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au

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