Artificial Intelligence and DNA Analysis Are Transforming Pet Care
Technologies such as AI image recognition for finding lost pets and dog feces DNA analysis to identify responsible owners in apartment buildings are becoming increasingly widespread.
AI Power to Find Lost Companions
The nightmare of lost pets, one of the biggest fears for pet owners, is beginning to be solved with AI-powered systems. The non-profit organization Petco Love Lost is consolidating millions of animal photos collected from shelters and social platforms across the USA into a central database. These images are used to train an AI model capable of analyzing 512 different data points (eye color, fur texture, distance between ears, etc.).
When a lost cat or dog is reported, the system compares the photo uploaded by the owner with thousands of images in the database and lists potential matches with high similarity scores. According to company data, this system has so far reunited over 100,000 animals with their families. The actual number is estimated to be close to 300,000.
DNA-Based Accountability in Apartment Living
Technology is also making its mark in another area of pet care: apartment and residential complex management. PooPrints, a company under BioPet Laboratories, offers a system that tracks uncollected dog waste back to its owner via DNA analysis. DNA samples taken from the mouths of all dogs registered in the complex are profiled in a laboratory using 16 genetic markers.
Every uncollected waste sample is compared against the profiles in this database, and if a match is found, the relevant homeowner is notified. Company officials emphasize that this system has an extremely low false match rate and that its primary goal is not punishment but rather promoting pet-friendly living in clean environments. Similarly, as seen with wearable devices like the Oura Ring, the technology of analyzing personal data is being offered in different fields.
Technological Advancement and Ethical Boundaries
These applications demonstrate how technologies developed for human surveillance can be transformed for the benefit of animals. However, practices like collecting dog DNA and image databases also bring some debates regarding privacy and data security. From a legal perspective, the classification of pets as 'property' relatively reduces the obstacles in front of such applications.
Experts predict that the use of AI and biometric data will become even more widespread in the fields of pet care, health, and safety. These developments provide important examples of how technology can be used to improve the welfare of not just human life, but all living beings. Discussions on the integration of AI into different areas of life and its economic impacts are also addressed in the news titled IREN: AI Transition Still Not Fully Priced In.
