Two Dreaded Words
Lost Greyhound — Two words no one wants to hear. Yet on Friday, June 5, I was informed that there were two hounds on the loose: one in Phoenix and one in Tucson.
Fortunately, the hound in Phoenix was found. Sadly, the Tucson hound was found deceased.
Things happen, and I get that. However, we have tools that can significantly increase the chances of a positive outcome. Having a pet identification tag on your dog at all times with your contact information, including a phone number, is No. 1. But we also have technology that, in my opinion, is even more important than a pet tag. That little piece of technology is a GPS unit.
Did you know that for the last three years, SA Greys has furnished a GPS unit and paid for a one-year subscription for every new intake? What honestly baffles me is that less than half of them are actually used. Why would you not want the ability to pick up your phone (I know you pick it up for just about everything else) and find out in real time where your dog is? Why would you not want an alarm sent to your phone when your dog is outside its safe zone?
Nothing is fail-safe, including a GPS tracker. But any extra layer of protection could be the difference between life and death. If I sound frustrated, it’s because I am.
We had several volunteers walking the Tucson area where the hound was last seen. Had the dog been wearing a GPS unit, the volunteers would have known precisely where the dog was and which direction it was moving. In the heat of the summer, time is of the essence.
There are many units available on the market today. Fi, Greenlight, Halo and Tractive are among the most well-known. As a group, we use Tractive. The unit clips securely to the hound’s collar and can be recharged weekly. The app is easy to read and will notify you if your hound is outside its safe area (a defined area that you set). It provides real-time tracking with an easy-to-read map. The basic subscription costs about $120 plus tax annually. That’s pretty cheap insurance if you ask me.
While we’re at it, let’s briefly talk about AirTags. AirTags are great for tracking your luggage when flying, or your keys but, in my opinion, that’s about it. AirTags are a poor choice for tracking dogs because they rely on nearby Apple devices via Bluetooth to relay location information rather than using true GPS. If your dog runs into the desert, the mountains or a rural area, the tracker may not update. Additionally, they pose a serious ingestion and choking hazard. AirTags are small, round and can be easily swallowed. If ingested, the lithium battery can leak and cause life-threatening chemical burns, requiring emergency surgery that can cost thousands of dollars — or worse. Please don’t use them!
Years ago, we didn’t have this technology, but now we do. Let’s take advantage of it. Please don’t allow yourself the luxury of saying, “It can never happen to me.” It can.
SA Greys offers anyone who wants a GPS unit the opportunity to utilize our discount. (Please know that we do not make any profit on this.) As an adoption group, we don’t pay for the tracker itself, but our discount can save you about $50.
Email me at nancy@sagreys.org and let’s talk about it.
Okay, I’m climbing off my soapbox now and taking my pups for a much-needed walk — with their GPS units.
~Nancy
(pictured is Twyla Von Houndness sporting her tracker and pearls)
Nancy Lynberg is the Operations Director of Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption and can be reached at nancy@sagreys.org.