Whistle, according to its website, "marries GPS and pet wellness in one collar"
As technology continues to shrink in size, wearable devices have become extremely popular, from iPods to Fitbits. Driven by Quantified Self (QS) and gamification, global wearable device shipments are expected to reach 110 million annually by the end of 2016. Pet wearables are currently worth a $2.62 billion (US$1.99 billion) annual global market and are expected to grow.
These devices allow for the surveillance and monitoring of pets through devices such as Pod 2, Buddy, WÜF and are quite useful for owners who are away from home for long hours due to work. Heart rate and sleep monitoring (Inupathy, PetPace) allow owners to know when their pet is sleeping, playing, or even wandering too far (e.g. DogTelligent).
They can download an augmented reality app that sees through obstacles, such as furniture, to locate their pet. Or they can record and experience their pet's movement remotely via a wearable camera. By observing their habits and behaviors, they will be able to understand their mood and character much better.
Pet wearables and tracking systems also engage an ethic of care and surveillance. They arise from a desire for care that engages the paradoxical notions of confinement and guardianship. Indeed, our relationship with pets is often fraught with ambiguity. Pets belong to both nature and culture, they are instinctive but also social, both property and companion. There is thus a need for “careful surveillance.”.
The term "careful surveillance" refers to our emotional bond with pets, our protective concern and love for them.
But it should also be a “careful” practice, in terms of the effects it can have on both humans and animals. As our pets increasingly participate in the gamification and quantification of our daily lives, we should reflect on the relationship between worry and control.
