Many pets suffer from anxiety issues when they are separated from their owners for hours at a time, and others can become destructive or just simply get bored and lazy. A new startup called Petcube Inc. has set out to stop this epidemic.
The San Francisco based company has raised over $1 million in seed funding to keep pets healthy and their owners happy with the use of their Smartphone apps and hardware. Their flagship product, the Petcube camera, allows dog parents to watch over, play with, and even talk to their pets from a remote location.
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Dog experts are educating pet owners about the health risks involved in leaving their dogs unattended for long periods of time. Without exercise and stimulation, dogs begin to become lazy, gain weight, and become more susceptible to other health issues as well. It is difficult to change this growing problem because many pet owners work outside the home for 8-10 hours or more every day.
The Petcube camera is the perfect solution. It is a wide-angle, Wi-Fi enabled camera that is controlled through an Android or iOS mobile app. The apps are free to download and the camera contains a controlled laser pointer that can be used to get your pet up and moving.
The camera is housed in a sleek 4-inch cube of aluminum and comes with a silicon foot and standard mounting brackets for easy placement. The entire unit only weighs 1.3 pounds. It is equipped with a 2-way audio stream through a built-in microphone and speaker and will connect easily to your home’s Wi-Fi.
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Another unique feature of the Petcube camera is that it is also equipped with social media technology that allows users to give their family and friends permanent or limited access to check on their pets as well. Dog owners are also able to record and submit funny photos and videos to the app for other users to see.
Right now the startup Petcube is focusing on growing their online presence and increasing online sales. Co-founder Yaroslav Azhnyuk says that they are planning to grow the company strategically until they reach the shelves of larger chain retailers like Best Buy, Petco and PetSmart.
The outlook for pet technology is steadily increasing, and with dog owners more concerned than ever about their canine’s health and well-being, backers of this startup are extremely hopeful. Automated feeders are definitely the fastest selling pet electronic on the market right now, but that trend is slowly changing.
