GPS trackers keep pets close to home (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON – Dog owners worried their pets may get lost are turning to GPS technology, in case they need to find their wayward four-legged friends.

Tagg – The Pet Tracker comes with a GPS- enabled chip that attaches to a dog’s collar and acts like a mini cellphone or “digital bark,” alerting an owner by email or text that the dog has strayed from the backyard or other designated area.

Owners can track pets in real time and can use the device when shipping a dog by plane or during a natural disaster.

A Tagg kits costs about $99. The first month of service is free. After that, $8 a month.

Here’s how it works:

Another similarly priced tracker is Loc8tor Pet. It works within a 400-foot range, but walls and floors can reduce that range.

Veterinarians and other pet professionals say owners also should consider scannable microchips, in case a pet loses its collar.

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WTOP’s Kathy Stewart contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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