Pet Life Magazine, New Zealand Pet Life Magazine Issue 6 Autumn 2018 | Page 16

NEW FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY HELPS FIND LOST PETS

New Zealand is now home to one of the most sophisticated and intelligent systems in the world when it comes to finding your lost pet .
‘ PiP ’ facial recognition , will revolutionise the way we reunite lost pets with their families , according to the New Zealand Companion Animal Council ( NZCAC ). The council is the owner of the New Zealand Companion Animal Register ( NZCAR ), and it has now added this highly advanced facial recognition system to its services .
PiP facial recognition uses cutting-edge technology . Anyone can take a photo of a pet they find and upload it to the New Zealand Companion Animal Register . The image will then be compared against the pet photos they have to identify the animal in a few minutes . Using the PiP app , people will also be able to upload images of any found animals , thereby expanding the lost and found network into the public arena .
“ Combined with the New Zealand Companion Animal Register microchip database and Scanner Angel smart network , PiP facial recognition will add another dimension to helping find lost animals ” says NZCAC manager Dr Jessica Walker .
Lost and found animals can be reported at no cost to the user on LostPet . co . nz . The website also provides an interactive map showing a live account of lost and found pets within New Zealand .
New Zealand Companion Animal Register manager Nygllhuw Morris says “ NZCAR is extremely pleased to partner with SPCA New Zealand , the New Zealand Institute of Animal Management , Pets on the Net , and Neighbourly , so we can all work together ”.
“ More partners will be added as more organisations sign up to use LostPet . co . nz .”
“ These exciting advancements in technology will work alongside traditional microchipping to maximise the number of lost pets that are reunited with their owners in New Zealand .”
The New Zealand Companion Animal Register also has a website called LostPet . co . nz . This new website gathers together all the free lost pet services in one easy to access location , with the goal of reuniting lost pets with their owners as fast as possible . It has already merged with Pets on the Net and includes automatic notification to Neighbourly users .
The New Zealand Companion Animal Council would like to take this opportunity to remind animal owners that while LostPet . co . nz and PiP facial recognition are exciting initiatives , they do not replace the need for microchipping .
Microchipping is the only form of permanent identification for companion animals , and ensuring your animals are microchipped and registered with the New Zealand Companion Animal Register is still the most reliable way for owners of lost pets to be contacted .
For more information about microchipping and to register your animal ’ s microchip and / or photo with the New Zealand Companion Animal Register and PiP facial recognition please visit animalregister . co . nz .
We treat pre and post-operative cases , arthritis , sports and working dogs , and those with mobility challenges .
K9 Aqua
Swimming , underwater treadmill , injured dog day care .
“ These women are amazing . They genuinely care about the dogs that come through their doors and go above and beyond . They do everything with kindness , earning the dog ’ s trust . I ’ m positive they have greatly improved the quality of life of my dogs .” Lynne
Red Dog Rehabilitation
Veterinary rehabilitation therapy , laser , acupuncture , orthotics , wheelchairs , sports conditioning and pain management .
Auckland Canine Massage
Advanced therapeutic and relaxing massage for dogs . www . k9therapy . co . nz
All the care you need for your dog at one location .