Latest innovations giving Aussie pet owners peace of mind

Aussie animal lovers are taking advantage of new wearable tech devices, online pet monitoring services, and fast connectivity via the nbn^TM network to tackle our growing ‘pet-fret’ anxiety.

Recent research shows we are a nation obsessed with our furry friends as 63 per cent of Australian households now own a pet and 90 per cent of them consider their pets a part of the family*.

Spending an estimated $8 billion each year*, we are also investing in the wellbeing of our pets more than ever before. The significant growth in pet-tech has seen the rise of new innovations that are allowing Aussies to track, monitor, and even video call their pets in real-time.

Laura Vissaritis, Animal Behaviourist, says separation anxiety has become a common condition for many pet owners:

“We consider our pets honourary members of the family so it’s only natural to worry and feel a sense of separation anxiety when we leave them at home.

“The reality is, most of us can’t be with our animals 24-hours-a-day, but access to fast broadband via the nbn™ network is transforming the way Australians are able to connect and care for their pets at home. Whether on holiday or at the office, we can now book a pet-sitter and use Skype to check-in on their wellbeing, or install pet cams to watch and play with our pets while on the go.”^**

Latest broadband-enabled technologies giving Aussie pet owners peace of mind:

• Pet sitters – online pet minding services are helping Aussies to find the perfect person to care for their pet when away from home. Once boarding the owner can video call in for a virtual visit with services such as PetCloud and Pawshake;
• GPS enabled trackers – innovative tracking technologies are now available as animal collars, allowing Aussies to trace pets’ footsteps from afar. Leaders in this space include Trakapet, Petrek, Whistle and Retrieva;
• Fitness devices – health monitoring gadgets such as FitBark and smart collar Voyce, are pioneering the pet fitness device movement, allowing Aussies to easily keep track of a pet’s health;
• Home monitoring systems – broadband-enabled pet cameras allow anxious Aussie pet-owners to tactically position cameras such as PetCube and Petziconnect in the home and watch or interact remotely from a smartphone^.

There are more than two million homes and businesses around the country which can already connect to the nbn™ network, with the rollout designed to ensure that every Australian has access to fast broadband by 2020.
 

Dan Chamberlain	nbn™ Media Hotline
Phone: +61 400 569 951	Phone: 02 9927 4200
Email: danchamberlain@nbnco.com.au	Email: media@nbnco.com.au

 

Media resources

Click here for images and radio grabs

Notes to editors

References:

• *  Pet ownership in Australia, Animal Health Alliance Summary 2013

About nbn:

• nbn is building a new, fast wholesale broadband network to enable communities across Australia to access fast broadband. Our goal is to connect eight million homes and businesses by 2020.
• Fast broadband like that delivered via the nbn™ network can provide a range of benefits for Australians such as opportunities to work from home, access to online education tools and options for on-demand entertainment.
• End-user experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn™ network, depends on the technology over which services are delivered to your premises and some factors outside our control like equipment quality, software, broadband plans and how the end-user’s service provider designs its network. Access to your work network will depend on factors outside our control like your organisation’s IT policy and infrastructure.
• Laura Vissaritis is part of  nbn’s Connected Opportunities campaign.