5 GPS and Wireless Tracking Systems to Help Keep Tabs on Your Pet

gps and wireless pet trackers
gps and wireless pet trackers

GPS and wireless technology have come a long way and gotten increasingly affordable. While tracking your pet using a GPS device was once a rather expensive proposition, it now is relatively affordable.

If you have a pet that tends to roam, that is an escape artist, or if you are simply concerned about being able to easily find your pet should he or she go missing, one of these 5 tracking devices might be for you. These devices can be used with children too by attaching the tag to a key chain.

While being able to track your pet via GPS may be quite appealing, there are a few downsides to these systems. Most require frequent battery charging, some require subscription services, and the wireless devices tend to have a fairly short range. Those with the best maps, alerts, and range are normally the most expensive.

Here are 5 pet tracking products with information about their features, price, and ratings.

1. Tagg Pet Tracker
The Tagg Pet Tracker works using GPS and wireless communications to track your pet and send a text message to your smart phone if your pet escapes a certain area. You can then locate your pet on a map. You can also monitor your pet's daily movements. A benefit of the system includes disabling of the GPS when the pet is in the home area to save battery life. Users report that the battery lasts a bit more than a week, and both the the device and phone app provide accurate battery life data. Range is not an issue with this device. The downside is the monthly subscription cost, which is about $8 for one pet. Some users also complain that the tracker tag is on the bulky side, although this is a problem with most systems.

Device Cost: $99.95
Subscription Cost: $7.95/month

2. Loc8tor Pet
The Loc8tor Pet Tracking System is a wireless device instead of a GPS device. The system uses a relatively small tag and a handheld locating device to home in on your pet. The collar beeps when you are searching, and some owners report that their pets have learned to come home when the beeping occurs. The tracking collar is small, making this an ideal product for cats. The downside is that the range is limited to a couple of acres and it lacks the sophisticated mapping that you get with a GPS device.

Price: 99.95
Subscription: None

Related: 20 reasons why everyone should own a cat


3. Marco Polo
Marco Polo Pet Monitoring is another wireless device that uses radio tracking to allow you to home in on your lost pet. Range is up to two miles in open areas, but lowers dramatically when obstacles are present. Users report a significantly smaller range. A nice feature is a 90-day battery life. The system will also send warnings when your pet is out of range. However, since GPS is not involved, there are no maps or phone apps.

Price: $220
Subscription: None

4. Pet Tronix RoamEO
RoamEO uses GPS technology to track your pet with a handheld device. The collar contains a GPS unit, which uses radio to communicate with the handheld portion. The upside to this device is the use of GPS without the need for a subscription. However, the range is limited to around half a mile and there are no mapping services or phone apps. Battery life is also only about 24 hours.

Price: $175
Subscription: None

5. Garmin Astro 320
The Garmin Astro 320 combines a tracking collar with a stand alone GPS unit. Benefits of the system include the ability have a separate GPS unit, the ability to send silent alerts (good for those using the system with hunting dogs), and the ability to track up to 10 dogs at once using extra collars. There is no subscription required. Downsides are that there is no phone app support and the device has a three mile range limit. The package is also expensive, and battery life is less than 2 days. This package is probably better suited to those who do a lot of outdoor recreational activities with their dogs, such as hiking or hunting, and want the ability to accurately track them during those activities.

Price: $500
Subscription: None

- By Careen Coulter
For 20 adorable photos of dogs giving their best "puppy eyes", visit Babble!

MORE ON BABBLE
13 hilarious photos of cats caught in weird places
12 reasons why dogs are better than people
15 ridiculous photos of pets wearing other animals' ears