Pet adoptions and sales have reached new heights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Families across the country have turned to shelters, pet stores, rescues, and breeders to find the perfect addition to their quarantine crew. So much so that the supply could not keep up with demand, many families had to be on waiting lists. One shelter in Los Angeles even recorded ten or more adoptions every day during June.1
Combined with the idea that pets complete our families, it’s not surprising that the Pet Technology industry is bigger than ever. According to Global Market Insights, the niche industry is expected to grow by 25 percent to be valued at more than $20 million by 2025.2 In addition, the increased deployment of technology such as IoT and Artificial Intelligence has created more opportunities to develop technologies that provide customization and convenience to pet owners of all types.
Technology That Makes A Pet Owner’s Life Easier
Due to the uncertain times, some products have been flying off the shelf, pet food and supplies being one of them. Rather than waiting until it’s too late, smart feeders will automatically reorder pet food when it’s close to running out. In a survey by Packaged Facts, pet owners are highly motivated to spend money on technology that will save time and make their lives easier.3 Pet owners tired of constantly cleaning their cat’s litter box can now lean on technology like smart cleaning litter boxes.
Microchip pet doors are also becoming more popular to give your pets the freedom to go in and out of the house without the worry of having an open entry into your home. Companies like SureFlap and PetSafe have created a high-technology option where a pet door will only open when activated by a microchip on your pet’s collar.
Products to Keep Our Pets Busy and Monitor Their Activity
Our animals are used to us being home all the time. In fact, many of us found our furry friends to have a quarantine buddy. When we return to work, they might be lonely or get into trouble when they finally have the house to themselves again. Pet cameras have evolved to watch your dog wait patiently at the door for you to get home to a two-way system that allows pet owners to hear when their dog is barking and to talk to their pet while you’re away. If they’re behaving, the Furbo dog camera allows the owner to verbally trigger the machine to toss a treat to your furry companion.
Whether a pet owner works from home or out of the house, certain technology can help keep your dog entertained while you’re busy. iFetch allows dogs to stay active and entertained even when their owner isn’t free to throw them the ball. Taking technology for pets to the next level, CleverPet is creating a product that understands how dogs learn and what they need to stay mentally stimulated. With this advanced technology, dogs will remain busy solving the challenges presented by the CleverPet product.
Reliable Solutions for Monitoring Health and Safety
During COVID-19, pet owners have less face-to-face time with their veterinary providers than before. This can leave people feeling uncertain about their fur baby’s health. Many new pet products are created to link with a smartphone app that can push information directly to a veterinarian for review. In the same survey by Packaged Facts, 54% of dog owners stated that they would use a product that helps connect their pet’s health information with their vet. As demand increases, tech use for preventative health care for pets will continue to become more widely adopted.
For cats meant to be indoors, containment systems like Oscillot keep your pet safely within your yard and can be installed directly with your existing fence for a seamless look. GPS trackers and e-collars also ensure that if your pet can get out, you’d be able to find them and bring them back home safely. Even through a pandemic, pets will always make up a big part of our lives and society. Combining this industry with the innovative technologies on the rise, the pet technology industry will continue to grow.
1 The Washington Post, Dog Adoptions and Sales Soar During the Pandemic, August 12, 2020.
2 Global Market Insights, Pet Tech Market to Surpass 20 Billion by 2025, July 20, 2019.
3 Packaged Facts, Pet Tech Products Post Double-Digit Growth, May 20, 2020.