On this page:

• Eufy Dog Camera D605
• Furbo 360° Dog Camera plus Dog Nanny (subscription)
• Petcube Bites 2 Lite BL10US
• Arlec Smart Pet Feeder with Camera PFC002HA

Australians spare no expense keeping their pets happy. We spend an eye-watering $33 billion a year “to keep our pets fed, healthy and well-accessorised”, according to one 2022 estimate from vet medicine industry body Animal Medicines Australia (AMA).

So-called “pet tech” makes up a small but growing part of this market. AMA found eight percent of pet owners had installed home monitoring cameras for their pets in 2022, up from five percent in 2019.

While that figure is likely to include general security cameras, there are dedicated dog and cat cameras that have sprung up at mainstream retailers. Major brands include Eufy, Furbo and Petcube.

The question is, are they a genuinely useful way to check in on your pet when you’re not home, or a novelty that’ll wear off once you realise that Fido spends most of his day asleep?

Makers of pet cameras claim they can help puppies with separation anxiety as they often come with two-way communication to help calm your pet, and you can even throw treats to help with their anxiety. They’re also a fun way to check in on your dog or cat to see what they get up to when you’re away. For more on what pet cameras can do, see our buying guide.

Our review

Here, we review three treat-dispensing pet cameras: The Eufy Dog Camera D605, Furbo 360° Dog Camera, and the Petcube Bites 2 Lite BL10US. We also looked at the Arlec Smart Pet Feeder with Camera PFC002HA.

All models let you dispense treats or food, hear and talk to your pet, and view a livestream without paying for a subscription. Many have additional features that can only be accessed if you pay for a subscription, such as bark alerts and the option to download videos.

How we tested

Our expert test coordinator looked at the cameras’ ease of use (including camera/app set-up and general usage). He also assessed video quality in daylight, dim light and darkness, looking for excellent depth, contrast and field of view. Finally, he rated sound quality and sensitivity for each camera.

We also got a panel of ÌÇÐÄVlog staff, all pet owners, to test the cameras in their own homes for a real-life experience and report back after using it for several days.

Eufy Dog Camera D605

Furbo 360° Dog Camera plus Dog Nanny (subscription)

App experience

Our expert tester found the app easy to use with good-sized icons and straightforward symbols. Chris found it surprising when the camera started “recording video on its own volition”, but acknowledged that was the camera’s intent. Matt liked how video and audio were automatically deleted after a day but you could download it before then.

You can set up alerts for particular activities within the app such as when your pet meows or barks.

Petcube Bites 2 Lite BL10US

Video and audio quality

Our expert found the motion smooth with excellent detail during daylight and dim conditions, and night vision had good detail in contrast. But Jen’s video looked more laggy as her dog moved around. Video quality may depend on your wireless connectivity, and unfortunately there didn’t seem to be a way to lower the resolution if you wanted to capture video that took up less bandwidth.

Audio-wise, the subscription plan will alert you to barks. We found it was a little less sensitive than other cameras, requiring 55dB to alert you to noises, but still OK.

Arlec Smart Pet Feeder with Camera PFC002HA

Video and audio quality

Your pet will be right up near the fish-eye camera while feeding, so there will be distortion, and distant objects will look small. Overall, video quality was not bad, with some drop in quality in dim and dark conditions.

Sound was very good overall, but our expert could not find any settings for sound alerts, which is a real downside as you can’t monitor how often your dog is barking.

The post Home pet camera reviews appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Why not just use a security camera or baby monitor?
• What are the different types of pet cameras?
• Pet camera features to look for
• Cost
• How easy are the cameras to connect?
• How private is my data?
• Where do I place my pet camera?

Cameras connect to an app on your smartphone, so you can log in and observe your pet to make sure they’re happy, safe and not getting up to any mischief.ÌýThere are a range of models available with various features and price points from brands like Furbo, Arlec (Bunnings), Eufy and Petcube.

Owners of anxious dogs might be reassured by models with two-way audio that alert you to any distressed barks, and let you talk to your pet to calm them down.

People worried about their pet being bored home alone may enjoy a model that lets you throw treats for them, and some models even have laser pointers for a game of chase!

Some pet cameras do require you to pay for an additional subscription on top of the unit’s purchase price in order to unlock certain features, while others are just a one-off cost. Here we outline how to choose the model that’s right for your home.

Why not just use a security camera or baby monitor?

You can, but pet cameras have special pet-specific features you might find useful.Security cameras and baby monitors let you remotely check on activity that’s going on in your home, just a pet camera would.

They also share common features with pet cameras – for example many have a two-way audio feature that would allow you to talk to your pet. If all you want to do is view your pet and talk to them throughout the day, the right model of baby monitor or security camera could do the trick.

A security camera could also be worth considering if your pet spends a lot of time outdoors and you have a security camera there already. They have alerts to let you know if there’s movement, with some also employing algorithms to differentiate between humans and animals. This feature is sometimes included as part of the upfront price, or you may need to pay for a subscription to access it.Ìý And it’ll focus on frequently recording human motion to help identify potential intruders which might be annoying if you’re using it as a pet monitor.

A baby monitor comes with baby-specific features that are unlikely to be very useful for your pet like crying alerts (that won’t work for barking) and the option to play lullabies or white noise, which may not be effective for your dog or cat. But, again, if you already have one in your home and it’s easy to move it to the area where your pet spends most of its time, it can certainly allow you to monitor them remotely.

Pet cameras, on the other hand, are designed for entertainment and reassurance. They often come with specific dog/cat detection features you won’t always find with other cameras.

What are the different types of pet cameras?

There are three main types of pet camera currently on the market.

Treat dispensing cameras

Many pet cameras have a small treat dispensing feature that will toss dry pellets to your pet. You can shoot treats out remotely as a reward if they’ve been quiet and well-behaved and see your pet scramble towards them. When we recruited a range of triallists to check them out with their dogs, many learned to associate the camera with treats, but this may require some perseverance. Some models, like the Petcube Bites 2 Lite, have different “ranges” for tossing treats, so you can make them shoot out closer or further away for a bit of variety. Look for a model that is easy to clean and is suitable for the size of treat your dog or cat likes.

Robot pet cameras

These look like a lovable pet in their own right and are designed to both allow you to watch and chat to your pet remotely, while also interacting constantly with your fluffy friend. They’re wireless and roll around the house on wheels. There aren’t too many of these on the Australian market at the moment, but as with all robot-related tech, it’s probably only a matter of time.

Pet feeders

Much like the old-fashioned automatic pet feeders, these have a far bigger repository for dry food than treat dispensing models and could be useful if you’re leaving your pet overnight or for long spells of time during the day. You can schedule portions to be doled out into the feeding bowl at certain times, via an app. The camera detects when your pet is at the dish. (As with all dry food, always make sure you have a supply of water nearby.) The feeders often have secure lids to keep the food fresh and away from prying paws.

Pet camera features to look for

Not all pet cameras will have all of the features listed here, but you can look into what’s important for you and your pet.

Media storage

Pet cameras generally ping your phone when your pet is in view, so you can view real-time footage of them in action. But you won’t always be able to view activity (or you might want to turn notifications off if they become excessive). Once the camera detects your pet, you’ll need to find out whether it captures the raw footage for later viewing.

Cheaper models (like the Arlec pet feeder from Bunnings we tested) won’t do this at all, and you can only save footage in real-time, when you’re logged on to the camera. Others will automatically store activity (movement) on the unit itself or via a built-in memory card.

This means you’ll need to get it off the unit and onto your phone regularly, before the storage gets full. Some will upload content to a cloud account (usually subscription-based) and hold it for a certain amount of time before it gets deleted, so you’ll need to download and save whatever’s relevant (or worth sharing on social media).

Apart from keeping a history of your pet’s antics and sharing them on social media, there is also a serious side to being able to share your pet’s activities. If there are any behavioural issues such as barking, soiling or separation anxiety, the camera may be able to detect them so you can show your vet. Injuries, excessive itching or pain may also be evident.

Some cameras will record activity throughout the day and automatically compile it into a fun video. The Furbo can even detect and collect “selfies” (when your pet is looking at the camera).

Multiple accounts

Some units allow several logins from more than one device, and/or the ability to share footage to other people.

Laser pointers

Some pet cameras have laser pointers that you can activate remotely, so cats can play chase via a dot on the floor.

Camera range

Some models have a 360 degree range – they rotate and pan so you can see what’s happening around the entire room. Others may have a wide-angle lens (we’ve seen models with 160 and 270 degrees) to capture as much activity in the frame as possible.

Video quality

Look for pet cameras with 1080p full HD video quality. The models we tested all have this level of detail and we rated the videos excellent, with smooth movement.Ìý

Some units have infrared night vision capabilities, which is handy, and detail was good on the models we checked. If the model uses a wide-angle lens, there will be some distortion – far-away activity may appear small, and close-up shots will make your pet’s head appear bulbous. You need a good wireless signal between the camera and your router for the video to work smoothly. Some cameras offer the ability to lower the resolution if you have a choppy connection.

Cat vs dog specific

You may not find a difference between units made specially for dogs vs those made for cats. Furbo has two virtually identical pet cameras but the cat one has a feather wand for them to bat.

Extra features (with extra cost)

Some subscription-based services will provide added reassurance such as Furbo Nanny’s “vomit alert”, or the ability to ask questions in a virtual chat such as when the pet was last at its feeding bowl or what certain behaviour might mean. Smoke, fire or broken glass might also trigger alerts.

Petcube models require a subscription to access locked or additional-tier features which may be “nice-to-haves” such as an online vet chat service or the ability to store videos of your pet in the cloud. There are also special filters to eliminate the “noise” from activity alerts so you only see what’s relevant to you (such as barks or certain actions). In those cases, look for a free trial and cancel before it expires if you don’t want to commit.

Can I talk to and hear my pet?

Yes, generally two-way communication is an important part of a pet camera’s functionality. Barking detection means you can identify an issue before your neighbours do and you may be able to reassure your pet with your voice.Ìý

We found that the detection (if available) kicks in when noise reaches the volume of a normal conversation (about 60 decibels). Audio quality is good enough to be able to understand what’s going on; more critical audiophiles may not be overly impressed though.

What about other pets?

Dedicated pet cameras are generally designed with dogs and cats (and their activity) in mind. A general web camera might be enough for monitoring other pets like fish and birds.

Cost

If you have an ongoing subscription to a pet camera service, the costs can add up. An annual payment option might be better value if you’ve trialled the service and are happy with it. For example a Furbo Nanny yearly plan costs $99, but month-by-month it costs $9.99. This is on top of the camera’s initial cost ($109 for a subscription-only service, or $359 for a model with some basic smart features that don’t need a subscription).

Models from brands like Arlec and Eufy (who sell pet cameras without the need for a subscription) can cost from about $150 to $500.

Over time the manufacturer may no longer support the model’s smart features. For example, as of September 2024 Furbo no longer supports models purchased before August 2017.

How easy are the cameras to connect?

Your pet camera will usually connect to your internet router’s 2.4GHz Wi-Fi frequency band, not the higher-capacity 5GHz band that your phone might run on. Some of our pet camera triallists had problems connecting certain cameras with their apps, because their phone’s Wi-Fi also needed to be connected to the 2.4GHz band. A decent instruction manual would reduce or eliminate frustrations like these.

A cluttered 2.4GHz network (with many devices on the same frequency) might cause some slowness or lag when retrieving video feeds.

How private is my data?

If you’re worried about sensitive data being kept in the cloud, make sure that the services encrypts it. Or, you might want to choose a camera that doesn’t do this at all, and instead stores data locally on the camera.Ìý

As with smart devices generally, you’ll have to set up an account which will require you to disclose some personal information (such as your name, email address or payment methods). Furbo’s privacy policy states it “may also collect video and audio information of individuals when they pass in front of the camera or speak when the Furbo Camera is on”.

Where do I place my pet camera?

Most of the pet cameras you’ll see on the market are designed to sit on a shelf or table, while a few can be mounted on a wall. You connect them to your usual AC power outlet. Choose a location where your pet usually spends a lot of their time, and where you’ll get the widest range of vision.

Some have cameras that will pan or even automatically track your pet, while budget models offer a static wide-angle or fish-eye vision. You can put them on the floor, too (especially those that rotate 360 degrees), but some stronger pets may knock it over and gobble up all the treats if the base isn’t heavy or stable enough. Some trial and error may be required to find the sweet spot for your camera.

The post How to buy the best pet camera appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Boarding facilities
• Pet sitting agencies and websites
• Prefer pet care in your home?
• Pet care in someone else's home

We look at options including boarding facilities and the increasingly popular online services which allow you to search for sitters to mind your pets in their home or yours.Ìý

Boarding facilities

Boarding services include kennels, catteries and care provided by some veterinary practices. Some are better than others in terms of the amount of attention given, individual space and opportunity for exercise.Ìý

How much does pet boarding cost?

It’s important to shop around – price isn’t always an indicator of quality, and can vary according to:

• location (city versus country)
• timing (peak vs off-peak holiday season)
• duration (some have relatively high minimum payments for short stays)
• extras (medication, exercise, bathing)
• number of animals (some offers discounts for more than one pet).

Dog kennels

A good kennel will have your dog returning from their holiday happy and healthy, having perhaps enjoyed romps in the countryside and playing with other dogs. For other dogs – and their owners – it can be nightmare. Incidents can range from relatively minor to more serious: stress, kennel cough, untreated injuries and worse.

Lack of exercise can also be a problem – it’s not always clear that exercise time may be an optional extra, for which you pay. ‘Play’ could mean one-on-one time with one of the carers, getting lots of attention and affection, or simply access to an exercise area alone or with one (or up to 20) other dogs.

Joint boarding, or ‘dog stacking’, is where the kennel owner puts two or more unfamiliar dogs into the one run. Sometimes it’s sold to you as giving your dog a ‘fun playmate’. Sometimes you’re not told at all – they just do it. It’s more likely to occur during peak periods, when demand for places is higher.

Signs that a kennel may use joint boarding include not letting you inspect the kennels during peak period, or not accepting large or aggressive dogs, or dogs that haven’t been desexed because they’re less suitable for joint boarding.

While it may suit some dogs, if you’re concerned you should ask directly about dog stacking: “Will my dog have his own run, or will he share it with another dog?”

Catteries

Cats don’t get quite as good a deal as dogs when it comes to boarding. Perhaps it’s reasoned that cats are smaller and less active than dogs, sleeping much of the day, and therefore need less space. They tend to end up in fairly small, often multi-level cages.

The environment can be fairly dull, or even stressful if your cat doesn’t like the close company of other cats. On the other hand, they’re less likely to end up sharing their space with a stranger.

Vet boarding

While some vets provide boarding facilities, the cages may be quite small – designed for animals recuperating from illness or surgery rather than for longer term stays.

It’s worth checking how much time they’ll spend out of the cage. While they may not get the attention and play space available elsewhere, at least you should be confident their basic needs will be met.

Things to consider when boarding your pet

Where to start

• Try word of mouth – ask your work colleagues, vet, the breeder who sold you your pet, fellow dog-walkers.
• Look at several different places well in advance, and book early, especially for peak periods.

Accommodation

• Kennel runs should offer protection from wind and rain, a partially enclosed area for sheltered sleeping with a bed raised off the ground, shaded areas and ventilation.Ìý
• Cats should have bedding provided, as well as toys, scratching posts and other positive forms of stimulation.
• Pens should look and smell clean. Concrete may not look very cosy and comfortable, but it’s easy to keep clean.
• Views to the outside world can help prevent boredom, particularly for cats.
• Is the cattery adjacent to kennels? Some cats might find the constant barking of dogs stressful.

Health and veterinary care

• Kennels should check your dog hasÌýbeen fully vaccinated (C5 minimum) and is up to date with heartworm, gastrointestinal worm and flea prophylactics. Cats should be fully vaccinated against feline enteritis and the viruses that cause feline respiratory disease (F3 minimum).
• What arrangements are in place if your pet becomes ill? Do you want your own vet to be consulted if any treatment has to be given by the boarding facility’s vet? Decide your preferences well in advance and make them known.

Food

• What sort of food is your pet given? Are you happy with the type and quality of food? Are special dietary requirements catered for?
• If your pet goes off their food, due to stress or loneliness, will staff tempt them with some favourites?

Staffing and carers

• Try to meet the people responsible for handling and caring for the animals, not just the office staff. Use the opportunity to see how they relate to your pet, and vice versa. Try to gauge whether they’re in it for the love of animals or just the money. If they seem annoyed by your requests, such as dietary requirements, they may not carry them out.
• Is there someone on the premises after hours? If not, what are the arrangements for after-hours care and supervision?
• Owners assume – and are often assured – that their pets will get plenty of pats and cuddles, but it’s a good idea to establish how much individual time they’re devoted each day.

Exercise

• Don’t just assume your dog will be exercised. Make sure you know what ‘exercise’ and ‘play’ involve, as well as how long and at what (extra) cost.
• Are dogs of all types and sizes allowed in the yard at one time? How many? Are they supervised? If cats are given access to an exercise area, for how long, is it individual time or shared with other cats, and is it supervised?

Pet sitting agencies and websites

There are several online platforms and other agencies offering to match up pet owners with pet sitters who look after your pet in your home (either living there, or visiting once or twice a day) or in their home.

Service providers include:

These online services vary in their vetting of the sitters, and there have been stories of animals not being looked after properly and reviews being falsified, so you’ll need to use your judgement.Ìý

Fees and cancellation

Fees vary widely, depending on location, services offered and qualifications. If you’ve paid and have to cancel, you may be entitled to a full or partial refund, depending on the sitter and how much notice you give.

If things go wrong

By paying for the service through one of these agencies, you, the sitter and your pet are covered by one or more types of insurance, which may include public liability insurance, covering damage or injury caused by your pet to third parties, and professional indemnity insurance, covering accident or injury to your pet under certain circumstances.

Insurance typically doesn’t cover:

• damage to host property
• injury caused by the pet to the host, host family or host pet
• claims arising from the care of designated dangerous dogs, or guest pets that have previously attacked another animal or human requiring medical attention
• breach of professional conduct – for example, walking the animal off-leash in an on-leash area, or otherwise disregarding the agency’s house rules
• pre-existing medical conditions, illness or old age
• reduction in potential show or stud value.

Prefer pet care in your home?

Having someone stay in your home is especially useful for cat owners or those with multiple pets, and for those with fish, hens, and other birds or caged pets which don’t lend themselves to being transported elsewhere.

This means having someone live in your house for the duration of your absence, or visiting once or twice a day to look after your pets and otherwise keep an eye on the house.

While house sitters are one option, there are also pet sitters who house-sit specifically for pet owners. The latter position themselves primarily as pet carers and are likely to charge for the service, but house sitters may also be happy to care for your pet and do it for free. One way to find potential pet sitters is through the pet sitting agencies described above.

The potential benefits are that your pet stays in a comfortable, familiar environment, your garden and pot plants can also be cared for, and your home can look lived-in for better security.

Potential drawbacks include lack of privacy, damage and neglect to your home and possessions, and putting your faith in someone who may let you – and your animals – down. If you’re using a home visit service, or even a house sitter who works long days, your pet might become bored and lonely, and get up to mischief.

Tips for care in your home

• For what it’s worth, get a police check, and ask for (and follow up) references. However, these don’t really mean that much: people don’t report unwatered plants, unwalked dogs, overflowing letterboxes and a messy house to the police, references can be faked and referees may be friends who’ve been suitably briefed. There have been reports of faked ratings for online pet sitting agencies, so you need to exercise due diligence with potential sitters.
• When you meet potential pet minders, see how they interact with your pet – and your pet with them. If you have a large or lively dog can they handle them?
• Provide the carer with a map of preferred walks and parks, and provide any details about on- and off-leash parts of walks and any local friends or enemies that may be encountered on the way.
• Make sure you let the carer know the house rules (sitting on furniture, sleeping arrangements), how pets are disciplined and a list of words and commands the animal knows and responds to (for toileting, bed, walks etc.).
• Apart from leaving your vet’s details, it’s also useful to leave the contact details for a friend or relative who can make decisions about your pet’s welfare and general household matters (especially if you’re not easily contactable) and lend a helping hand if necessary. It may also be useful to give that person a spare set of keys.
• Establish up front who pays for what – if you’re not paying the house sitter, you may agree to pay the bills. You should also negotiate some kind of bond, paid in advance, to cover damages (there may be some coverage through insurance if using a pet sitting agency).
• Leave some money to cover food and any small unexpected expenses, such as medications, for your pet, and negotiate how you’ll settle larger expenses such as a plumbing emergency. Arrange with your vet to settle accounts on your return.
• Be very clear about the importance of having fresh water available for your pets, especially if the minders aren’t pet owners themselves.

Pet care in someone else’s home

If you’d rather not have someone living in your home, an increasingly popular alternative is having someone look after the pet in their home, as part of their family. It’s better suited to dogs and small, caged pets, rather than cats – though some people will take them.

The minders tend to be people who love animals but don’t want the commitment of owning one, or already have pets of their own and are happy to help others out and earn a little extra cash.

Having met the sitter and been satisfied they’re able to care for your pet, the main things to check are that the home is suitable (space, outdoor access and fencing) and that your pet gets along with theirs, if they have any. Also check if they’re going to be minding other pets as well as yours – if your pet isn’t very social it might not work out.

Tips for care in the home of others

• For online match-up services, first meet the minder in a neutral place – for example a park near their home (Don’t Fret Pet has already met and verified minders).
• If that goes well, visit the home and make sure it’s suitable – check fencing is escape-proof, there are no open windows your cat can escape through, a shoe rack too tempting for your shoe-chewing dog, breakables within reach, etc.
• There have been reports of faked ratings for online pet sitting agencies, so you need to exercise due diligence with potential sitters.
• Take your dog or cat with you and make sure they get along with the host (it’s probably not so important for birds or mice!). Spend a decent amount of time there so it’s a familiar place when you drop your pet off for a stay.
• If the minder has other pets, make sure they get on with yours.
• Discuss dietary, exercising, grooming and other care needs (flea treatment and medication) and what’s included in the daily fee. Provide this information in writing as well.
• Establish rules and expectations regarding where the pet is allowed (inside, on beds, on sofas etc.) and how likely your pet is to abide by these.
• Consider a trial night or weekend to make sure your pet and the minder are happy with the arrangement – you don’t want to be a few days into your African odyssey and learn things aren’t working out.
• Apart from leaving your vet’s details, it’s also useful to leave the contact details for a friend or relative who can make decisions about your pet’s welfare and general household matters (especially if you’re not easily contactable) and lend a helping hand if necessary. It might also be useful to give that person a spare set of keys.

The post Pet boarding and in-home pet sitters appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

ÌÇÐÄVlog verdict

Pros: The Furbo has great resolution and connects seamlessly through your smartphone. The microphone and treat feature work well, and manage to entertain your furry companion endlessly.Ìý

Cons: The alarm leaves a lot to be desired, with sporadic alerts that don’t really recognise actual barks.

There are a few treat delivery products on the market, but the sleek Furbo seems to have gotten it almost completely correct. We’re looking forward to them tweaking their system so it doesn’t accidentally trigger false alerts.

Price: $289

About shopping links on the ÌÇÐÄVlog website

What does the Furbo do?

The Furbo has a few features worth paying attention to, including:

• a security camera with great resolution for live viewing
• treat feeding with a swipe of your finger
• night vision
• a microphone so you can listen in on your pet
• a speaker so you can call to your pet through the Furbo.

Setting up the Furbo

The Furbo has a smooth installation process with a smartphone app that’s easily downloaded (Android or Apple).Ìý

Once downloaded, set-up through your Wi-Fi is quick and seamless. You create a login through the Furbo app and then you’re good to go after a simple firmware update.Ìý

Keep in mind the Furbo needs to be plugged into power to function.

You can set the bark alarm sensitivity so that it reacts at different volume levels, but we found noises other than barks set it off.

Giving treats

Use treats that are roughly thumbnail-sized, and refill just by popping the lid off and dumping the treats in.

To feed a treat to your pet through the Furbo, you need to be logged into the Furbo app. From the camera screen, a simple gesture makes the Furbo give a short alarm and pops the treat out onto the space in front. It’s not a harsh force, but can travel about a metre. Occasionally the treat dispenser might not fire due to treats getting lodged inside.Ìý

You can also press the mic button on the app and speak to your pet through the device. We assume this might calm your pet once it’s used to the fact that a voice is coming out of a device that also distributes treats.

One of the neat things about the Furbo is it does give you a running tally of how many treats you’ve given to your pet. You can generally see them come out of the dispenser but it’s handy to have the tally so you don’t overfeed your pet.

App control

It’s a very basic app with a sparse main screen that includes functions to:Ìý

• set up your dog’s profile and avatar
• tap to launch a live view
• see how many treats you’ve given your dog that day.

Other settings that can be adjusted are:Ìý

• a snacks call (a recording is played before a treat is thrown)
• night vision (on auto by default)
• the barking alert (we set this to ‘high’ as lower volumes didn’t give an alert notification on our phone)
• volume (even at 100% it appeared that our voice wasn’t loud enough through the Furbo’s speaker).

In live video mode, you’ll see a landscape view of the video, with icons for recording stills and video, a microphone for speaking, and a treat-throwing icon in the middle. Simply swipe up from the treat to make the Furbo shoot out a treat.

Video quality

Video quality can be adjusted from the menu within the video screen. Up to 1080p is supported, but 720p and 360p can be used if upload bandwidth is less than 1Mbps (which for ADSL2+ users it is – 1080p will work best on the NBN, which has uploads greater than 1Mbps).Ìý

• Video quality is very good in terms of definition, colour, and motion.Ìý
• You can pinch to zoom digitally up to 4x.Ìý
• Colour doesn’t look splotchy, and there’s no noticeable fringing.Ìý
• Motion is 15 frames per second in 1080p mode.Ìý
• There is some distorting of the aspect ratio due to the 160-degree field of view.

Motion events and barking alerts

It’s important to note that the Furbo doesn’t automatically record motion events by default – you can only use it to view a video stream manually (when you want to check in to see what your dog is doing, for example, or when you get a barking alert).Ìý

Barking alerts are supported by default and they worked during our tests when we played a YouTube video of a dog barking through a phone, but were much less effective with real barking.

Can you record video?

You can record still images and video manually by tapping the relevant icons on the screen while viewing the video. These will be stored on your phone.

In some other countries (US, Canada, Hong Kong and Taiwan) users can trial theÌýFurbo Dog Nanny subscription, which uploads recorded motion events (dog or human) to Furbo’s servers, which is then viewable anywhere with an internet connection.Ìý

Is the Furbo worth the cost?

The Wi-Fi-enabled Furbo costs around $359, depending on where you get it from. That’s above average compared to the security cameras in our latest review which range between $29 and $357. However, none of those security cameras can throw treats to your pet!

If you like the idea of seeing your pet, talking to your pet and throwing treats to your pet, then the Furbo is very much worth it.Ìý

Keep in mind its barking alerts leave a lot to be desired, so if that’s a dealbreaker, perhaps look elsewhere.

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ÌÇÐÄVlog is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to helping consumers. Clicking a link will take you to a retailer’s website to shop. While we make money if you buy through some retailer links, this doesn’t influence any of our rankings. 100% of the money we make goes straight back into our non profit mission. We’re currently testing this service and will consider providing more shopping links in the future. what you think.

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Ben (surname withheld) and his family had just been at a pet shop buying toys for a toy poodle they had ordered online when he received a suspicious message.

It was his first clue that they had just lost $2500 to a puppy scam.

“We were all in the car when it happened. My eight-year old son was distraught and cried. The website did look very professional … but the minute I saw that email from a Gmail address, it was kind of obvious to me.”

It was the sort of email that has become a hallmark of the burgeoning pet scam industry: a request for more money to cover ‘unforeseen’ costs that comes after aspiring owners have already paid all they had expected to for an animal.

For Ben, a teacher on the NSW Central Coast, it was a plea for an extra $1950 to cover shipping costs, and the fact it had come from an email address unconnected to the website he had already paid made him realise no dog would be arriving anytime soon.

“I thought: ‘Well, a normal company would be aware of those sorts of things prior.’ Then I noticed that the email address wasn’t from the domain of the website, it was a Gmail account. That was when I was like; ‘Okay, we’ve been scammed.'”

An explosion in pet scams

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven a boon for pet fraudsters.

As the first lockdowns descended over Australia in 2020, sophisticated scammers swung into gear, capitalising on the fact that many people were searching for a companion while being prevented from travelling to see the animal in person.

The ACCC sounded the alarm on puppy scams in particular in mid-2020, warning that a swathe of fake websites and online classifieds promising sought-after dog breeds were popping up to meet the surge in demand for pets.

And the trend has continued – Ben and his family are among the growing number of Australians who have fallen prey to an online pet scam.Ìý

Losses top $4.2m

Data provided by the ACCC to ÌÇÐÄVlog shows losses from pet scams of all stripes have increased more than 1000%, going from just over $375,000 in 2019 to more than $4.2 million last year.

The number of scams involving pets reported to the consumer body has similarly shot up – an increase of over 500% took the number of reports from 498 in 2019 to 3332 in 2021.

It’s an incredible trajectory that shows no sign of slowing down. Australians have already lost over $1.2 million to pet scams in the first four months of this year, a figure that’s 37.5% higher than the same period last year.

The ACCC says most scams involve dogs (especially puppies), with cavoodles and other poodle breeds the most common in fake listings.

But promises of cats and kittens are also appearing in attempts to fleece prospective pet owners, with the ACCC reporting Maine Coon breed kittens are commonly featured on bogus pet sites.

According to criminologist and associate professor at Queensland University of Technology’s School of Justice, Dr Cassandra Cross, the success of pet scams comes from the fact that buying a pet is an “emotional decision” which defrauders can easily take advantage of.

She says the events of the last two years have only served to tip the odds in their favour: “With ongoing lockdowns, people were looking for company and the numbers of available pets reduced.

“The desire to purchase a pet, the significant period of lockdown experienced by some across the country, and the scarcity of genuine animals, all collided to create an effective opportunity for offenders to successfully exploit.”

Owners and breeders bite back

The increase and its timing is no news to Sydney woman Sandy Trujillo.

Trujillo is the driving force behind the and and has spent the last two years supporting scam victims and raising awareness of their plight.

It’s an occupation that’s turned into something akin to a full-time job for the former vet nurse, who was compelled to take action after losing $1600 herself to a toy poodle scam in May 2020.

“After I got scammed, I started to post about my experience on social media. And a lot of people started coming forward saying: ‘Hey, that happened to me!'”

This finding of a community, along with a lacklustre response from authorities, drove Trujillo to convene a virtual forum where tips to avoid scams could be shared.

“We started listing the scams on the Facebook page going: ‘Hey, here’s another one, beware, check it out. Look, this is fake.’ And we came up with ways to investigate these things.”

And aspiring pet-parents are not the only ones who have been leading the fight against dodgy operators — reputable breeders who have seen their online presence hijacked by scammers have also been fighting back.

Melanie Bennett had been breeding cats for about 15 years when in June last year she found out she had been caught up in a scamming operation, following an angry phone call.

“I had somebody ring me up and abuse the hell out of me for not sending them their kitten that they’d paid for. And then I had somebody email me … saying ‘I think your business was being impersonated on another website.'”

The Gippsland-based cattery operator soon found the website, which was advertising itself as a place to buy kittens.

It featured her name and was using the same name and ABN of an existing site she runs, Cat Breeders Australia, which hosts classifieds from fellow breeders, but doesn’t sell animals directly.

Fearing misdirected legal action from vengeful victims, she reported the matter to authorities. She also contacted the domain host of the site and had it taken down.

It was something she would end up doing seven times over the following months, as fraudsters continued to set up scam copies of her site in an attempt to score more money off unsuspecting kitten buyers.

“I was doing daily searches on Google to try and find the latest thing using their phone numbers that they had listed or their address. I was searching almost every single day, trying to find their newest website that they’d set up.”

Bennett is confident her dogged efforts scared the scammers off from co-opting her business name, but is frustrated by the number of pet scams she’s still seeing on social media and online classifieds.

“Animals mean a lot to people and when you get ripped off of thousands of dollars, because it’s never small money, for this animal that never arrived, it’s heartbreaking,” she says.

How to spot and avoid a pet scam

When it comes to puppy scams, Sandy Trujillo and her community have come up with a well-honed set of ways to identify them.

A key giveaway can be the photos and ‘customer testimonials’ included in the listing, which are often copied from legitimate sources.

“At the beginning, I was looking at their pictures, and just seeing if they’ve been replicated anywhere on the web, so I would do what’s called a from the photo.”

“Then I would copy [a testimonial], pop it into Google and search it word for word. And you’ll see five different pages come up with the exact same testimonials. That’s how I find even more scam pages because you can see the real one and all the other pages that have copied it.”

Watch out for WhatsApp numbers

Trujillo also advises people looking for puppies to be sceptical of ads with WhatsApp phone numbers starting 0480-0 or 0488-8, saying she’s found many scams use these numbers.

Her organisation recommends taking the contact details displayed on a puppy listing, such as the phone number or email, and putting it into a search engine along with “scam” to see if anyone else has raised concerns about them.

Trujillo’s search tips are echoed by the ACCC, which encourages prospective pet owners to search online for the exact wording of any suspicious ad and any supposed customer testimonials.

These word-for-word searches can be done by copying the text, pasting it into a search engine and then putting quotation marks at the beginning and end to narrow down results to exact matches.

For those looking for a feline friend, Melanie Bennett says there are a couple of dead giveaways:

“[Scam cat sellers] often have Savannah listed as an available cat. The Australian government has banned the Savannah cat – you cannot import it into Australia.”

She also advises buyers to be wary of services that advertise a large variety of cat breeds, saying sellers offering six or more different breeds would be unsustainable in real life.

“To have that number of kittens for sale and that number of different breeds, you would need to have at least 100 cats in your breeding program to begin with. [That sort of operation] would just be way too big, from a business point of view.”

In all cases, the ACCC advises buyers not to pay for an animal without seeing it first – either in person or over a live video chat – and avoiding retailers asking for payment via money order or wire transfer, as it’s difficult to recover funds sent this way.

The Commission also recommends that, if you’re having doubts about a pet seller, you should seek advice from someone in the industry, such as a reputable breeders’ association, vet or local pet shop.

‘Reputable’ classifieds website no guarantee

It additionally warns against trusting an ad just because it appears on a reputable classifieds website, saying scammers often post in these media.

The ACCC says pet scammers base their business on offering deals that are too good to be true and that buyers will soon find the tables quickly turned against them if they take the bait.

This usually comes in the form of repeated requests for more money – often to cover transport costs – which customers will encounter once they have paid the originally-advertised cost of the animal.

What to do if you’ve been scammed

The ACCC says anyone who believes they may have given personal information or money to a scammer should contact their bank or financial institution as soon as possible.

It also recommends reporting the incident via its , as well as to the platform hosting the scam and the federal government’s .

ReportCyber is a service where individuals or organisations who have given scammers money or personal information can file a report which is then passed onto police as a case of cybercrime.

The ACCC says its Scamwatch body doesn’t investigate scams itself, but works to raise awareness and passes the information from the reports it receives onto law enforcement to aid in fraud disruption and investigation.

But a spokesperson admits such action can be challenging, explaining that “many of the offenders are based overseas and difficult to track down without a collaborative effort with law enforcement across a range of countries”.

Justice isn’t always done

And while there have been several instances over the past two years of Australian based pet scammers being prosecuted, many victims miss out on seeing justice served.

Out of the three people we spoke to who lost money to pet scams, all had filed reports with either Scamwatch, ReportCyber or police, but none had heard since from the authorities about whether their case was being investigated.

One victim was able to get a refund from their bank, but this was only after they went to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, which found the bank had mishandled the money transfer process.

For Ben on the Central Coast, the story has had a happy ending, of sorts. He and his family were eventually able to get a toy poodle from a Sydney breeder.

“It was very difficult because it was during the COVID pandemic and lockdowns, so we couldn’t go and view the dog physically,” he says. “So again, the process was still quite nerve wracking … We had to rely on FaceTime.”

His advice now is that you can never be too careful when looking for a puppy online: “You’ve just got to take every precaution you can in order to protect yourself from being taken in.”

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On this page:

• What we found: Treatment costs vary, a lot
• Is your vet overcharging?
• Does your pet need all those vaccinations?
• Do you really need premium pet food?
• How much will pet insurance help?
• 11 tips to save on vet bills
• Using VetPay, Afterpay or Zip to pay for vet bills

In Australia, we love our pets – almost seven in 10 (69%) of us own at least one. In fact, more households have a pet than dependent children, and COVID-19 has only seen an increase in dog and cat adoptions as people spend more time at home.

Pets are also important members of our families – we spend an estimated $13 billion on their care every year, with about 20% of ongoing costs associated with vet care. According to Ibis World, the Australian veterinary industry generated about $3.7 billion in revenue in 2019, mostly from tending to household pets.

But with advances in pet medicine, more treatments on offer and some individual veterinary practices being more profit-driven than others, how do you know if you’re paying too much or receiving unnecessary treatments? Will pet insurance save you money? And how can you keep costs down if you’re on a budget?

ÌÇÐÄVlog shadow shop

We decided to investigate pricing a little further. In July 2021, we conducted a small shadow shop of vets in NSW, where we compared prices for a general consultation, and for feline F3 and F5 and canine C5 and C7 vaccines.Ìý

We also asked for the starting cost for a grade 1 dental scale and clean, and a dental X-ray. We did this by randomly selecting vets from urban and rural areas and giving them a call.

What we found: Treatment costs vary, a lot

Unlike with human medicine, there are no Medicare subsidies when it comes to vet care. Owners are on the hook for the cost of their pet’s medical expenses.

It doesn’t help that there are no standard fees for standard services either, and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) does not provide recommended fee schedules.

Dr Melanie Latter from the AVA says individual vets set prices in line with their overhead costs, and that such costs “are determined on a case by case basis”.

General consultation and vaccinations

• There was some variation in prices for all surveyed procedures, with differences up to $60 for some vaccines.Ìý
• Rural vets were slightly cheaper than their urban counterparts.Ìý
• Vets in upmarket Sydney suburbs were the most expensive, so it may pay to shop around outside your postcode if you’re on a budget.
• The general check-up cost was the same for cats and dogs for all vets we surveyed.Ìý
• Vaccinations for dogs were slightly more expensive than for cats.
• Some vets offered a discount on consultations if you took in multiple pets at the same time.

Dental costs

Things got a bit trickier when we asked about dental costs:

• Quotes ranged from an estimated $300 all the way up to $2000 for a grade 1 scale and clean.Ìý
• Some vets wouldn’t give out a starting price for a dental procedure without having seen the animal’s teeth first.Ìý
• Dental X-rays started at $50 for a single exposure on a quadrant of the mouth, and were up to $450 for a set.

Differences in costs at a glance

The table below shows how much a vet visit costs, based on our shadow shop:

Dental prices difficult to get upfront

All vets were able to disclose prices for a general consultation and vaccinations, but many wouldn’t give prices for dental work.

This is partly a result of a lack of standard pricing regulation, which makes it challenging for pet owners to shop around if their pet needs more complicated care.Ìý

Being required to take the animal in for a consultation before a quote can be given also adds to costs if you want to shop around or get a second opinion, and it adds barriers to competition.

But the reason given for not disclosing prices was due to the varying conditions the animal’s teeth could be in, with procedures for bad teeth being more complicated (and thus more expensive). So not giving a quote over the phone was probably an exercise in caution, rather than any attempt to hoodwink us.

Some veterinary practices also offered us free dental health checks where they could assess the teeth in person and give a more accurate quote. This is a great option if you want to shop around or get a second opinion.

Is your vet overcharging?

According to the AVA 2018 workforce survey, there were about 13,000 registered vets working in Australia and more than 8500 (70%) of these are also registered with the AVA. Vets who register with the AVA are also bound by its code of conduct.Ìý

It is up to individual vets to set prices, prescribe treatments and monitor care based on an animal’s particular circumstances. Practices also have to keep up with equipment and technology advances, as well as rents and other overheads.

“The costs of providing veterinary services can be very high, given that veterinarians have to maintain a fully-equipped and staffed hospital, and there is no equivalent of Medicare in the veterinary sector,” says Dr Latter.Ìý

“Due to the high overheads, treatments can be expensive to provide.”

Unnecessary treatments?

Some treatments, preventative care, or a holistic approach may seem unnecessary to some pet owners. And although over-servicing can happen, “the line between over-servicing and high quality servicing is not actually a line, it is a very fuzzy region,” says Dr Peter Radvan, a veterinary surgeon.Ìý

“What one practice might consider unnecessary, another practice might consider normal procedure, and both could be right!”

According to Dr Radvan, most vets have the animal’s (and owner’s) best interests at heart.Ìý

“As vets, we spend a lot of our time trying to do the best we can for people’s pets, within the constraints of their budgets,” he says. “A client failing to appreciate how expensive good pet care can be is far more likely to happen than over-servicing.

“Part of the problem is that more and more pet owners have higher and higher expectations of the quality of care their pets receive, without thinking about what this means in costs.Ìý

“As an example, a vet hospital might charge $50 a night to keep an animal in. But if an owner wants that animal to be checked on regularly through the night, the same 24-hour stay could cost $500 to $800.”

Does your pet need all those vaccinations?

The AVA doesn’t conduct regular surveillance of the industry to determine if vets are providing unnecessary services or over-vaccinating (which can be a health risk to your pet).Ìý

It says it hasn’t been given any reason to believe vets aren’t following the guidelines. The AVA position statement for cat and dog vaccinations states that “for some adult animals, boosters for ‘core’ vaccines will be given every three years rather than annually. The core vaccines are distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus in dogs and herpes, parvovirus and calicivirus in cats”.

According to Dr Radvan, “recommended vaccination schedules are something that vet organisations have spent years discussing and thrashing out, and this information is quite readily available”.

When you might need more frequent vaccinations

Under some circumstances, such as if an animal didn’t receive their full course of puppy or kitten vaccinations, or if they live in high-risk and pet-dense areas, vaccinations may need to be given more often.Ìý

Boarding services, daycare facilities, group training and pet insurance may also have their own requirements for how often – and which – vaccinations need to be given to use their services or receive cover. If you’re unsure about your pet’s vaccination schedule, talk to your vet.

Do you really need premium pet food?

Most vet practices will directly sell some premium foods and pet care products. Some of these product offerings may be targeted to pets facing oral health, food sensitivity and weight control challenges, and could seem unnecessarily niche to some animal lovers.Ìý

Yet some prescription diets may also be especially formulated for animals with more serious health conditions such as kidney disease and may be necessary to maintain your pet’s health.Ìý

Your vet recommending one of these diets is unlikely to be ‘upselling’ in most cases, and if they were trying to coerce you into buying a product, that would be a breach of their code of conduct. You are also under no obligation to buy these diets directly from a vet – you may find the same diet cheaper elsewhere.

According to Dr Radvan “some vets are more keen on prescription diets than others, but profit margins on those are very small, so even if a vet sells lots of them, the return is marginal at best”.

How much will pet insurance help?

Unexpected accidents can happen and insurance can give you peace of mind. Pet insurance can save you from making a tough decision if you can’t afford costly treatments.

But pet insurance may not cover you for routine or preventative care such as vaccinations, many pre-existing conditions and dental.Ìý

Premiums can be costly and vary depending on the provider, the age and breed of your pet, and the level of cover. For example, a Staffordshire terrier will be cheaper than a French bulldog, and cats can often be cheaper than dogs.

Some brands will also only cover a portion of the cost of care, such as 75%, leaving you to pay a gap of 25%. They may also charge an excess, have low limits or sublimits on certain treatments, and increase premiums as the pet ages or after you’ve made a claim.

However, pet insurance can definitely save you money in case of a serious accident or illness, says Uta Mihm, ÌÇÐÄVlog insurance expert.

“Talk to your vet about the accidents or illnesses your pet is likely to have and how much the treatment would cost, then shop around for a policy that covers those,” says Mihm.

11 tips to save on vet bills

1. Be upfront about your budget

Have a frank discussion with your vet about your budget and what treatments you can afford. There may be some options that are ‘nice to have’ but may not be strictly necessary, and some treatments may be able to be delayed temporarily. Make sure you ask lots of questions and raise any concerns.

2. Get costs upfront for routine treatments

If you’re unsure about how much routine treatments will cost, call your vet in advance so you can budget for them and reduce the risk of ‘bill shock’.

3. Get a cost breakdown

“If a specialist gives you a very large estimate, ask for a full breakdown of what they plan to do, and be prepared to go through it carefully, asking about items to see if there are things that can be reasonably safely left off the treatment,” says Dr Radvan.

4. Shop around!

While not all of the vets in our shadow shop gave out prices for all treatments, many did, so it’s worth picking up the phone and checking. Where appropriate, get a second opinion before agreeing to any expensive or invasive products or procedures for your pet.

5. Ask about a multiple pet discount

Some vets offer discounts if you bring in multiple pets at the same time – it may work out cheaper to take Fido and Mr Fluff Fluff in together.

6. Ask about free dental checks

If your pet’s teeth need some care, see if your vet offers free dental checks for a quote on work first. This is also a great option if you’re looking for a second opinion.

7. Ask for generic medicines

As medications for pets aren’t subsidised on Medicare, their cost can add up. Generic medicines will offer the same benefits to your pet while also being lighter on your hip pocket.

8. Shop around for products

If your pet is prescribed a particular vet diet or parasite control, you don’t have to buy this directly from your vet. Instead, you can shop around for the best price. There are online stores such as or that sell many of these products at discount.

9. Review your pet insurance

If you have pet insurance for your pet, make sure you’re getting value out of it and getting cover for the things your pet needs. You may be better off putting the money aside yourself in a savings account for future use at the vet. Also, make sure you’re meeting all of the minimum requirements for cover (such as recommended check-ups and vaccinations) so that if you need to claim on your policy, you’re not denied cover.

10. Payment plans, financial help and subsidised treatment

Many clinics may offer payment plans for people experiencing financial difficulties or on low incomes. It’s worth asking upfront before you take your pet in. The RSPCA, some local councils, and charities such asÌýÌýin Victoria andÌýÌýalso offer subsidised treatments, desexing or financial assistance to cover some vet bills for people experiencing financial hardship.

11. Prevention is often cheaper than cure

Keeping your pet fit, happy and in the best possible health can help reduce health problems. Giving your dog or cat raw bones or dental biscuits can also help keep their teeth clean, reducing their risk of major dental issues. Ask your vet about preventative measures and care options that are within your budget.

Using VetPay, Afterpay or Zip to pay for vet bills

VetPay

Many clinics offer payment plans if you can’t pay for the whole bill upfront. This is a line of credit specific to costs you may incur at the vet and it lets you pay off the bill in instalments over a set period of time. It functions in a similar way to a credit card, not a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service like Afterpay.

How does it work?

VetPay performs a background credit check to help determine if you can afford the repayments, and you may not be approved if you have low income or a low credit score. You can apply to VetPay in advance or at your vet. VetPay claims to respond within 15 minutes.

If approved, you then pay a 10% deposit to your vet and the remaining balance is debited by VetPay from your bank account in fortnightly repayments. You also pay a $49 yearly fee, a $2.50 fee per fortnightly repayment and 18.4% interest, which is high. All this does add up, so this may not be the best option.

For example, if your vet treatment cost $500, you’d pay a $50 deposit, borrowing $450. VetPay’s repayment calculator says the minimum fortnightly repayment over 12 months is $23.42, which would total $608.92 over 12 months – this amount includes the yearly fee of $49, plus 26 x $2.50 payment fees and interest. That’s an extra $158.92, or 31%, above the original vet cost.

Terms and conditions

VetPay is also less than transparent about its terms and conditions. They are not available online and you won’t receive them until you apply and receive your contract. This limits your ability to fully understand the product, especially if you’ve applied while waiting at your vet.

Buy now, pay later (BNPL)

Some vets also offer BNPLs such as Openpay, Zip and Afterpay as payment options.Ìý

Be aware that BNPLs are not regulated in the same way as other lines of credit and don’t fall under safe lending laws. This means they generally don’t conduct a proper background check on your ability to pay. They often have high fees instead of interest, and weak hardship policies if something does go wrong. For these reasons we think people should avoid using BNPL wherever possible.

Make sure you do your research before using any BNPL or VetPay to cover your vet expenses. Don’t just sign up for them on the spot at your vet. Do your research first to make sure that they’re the best option for you and that you can afford them.

How to make a complaint about a vet

Each state and territory has its own acts, regulations and government veterinary body that oversees the registration, licensing and monitoring of vets.Ìý

If you’re unhappy with the treatment your pet has received from a vet, you should first try resolving the matter directly with the treating veterinarian or practice.Ìý

If you’re unsatisfied with this process, or you don’t feel comfortable trying to resolve the matter with them directly, your next step is to contact the Veterinary Board in your state or territory.

If you have concerns about the costs of your pet’s care, contact your state’s Fair Trading Office.

The post Vet costs: What to expect, and how to save appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

In late August, we asked supporters to sign an to Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud, calling for the establishment of mandatory pet food safety standards in Australia.

The letter came on the back of the country’s latest major pet-food contamination incident. Starting in July this year, at least 23 dogs in Victoria have died and about 67 have been hospitalised so far due to indospicine poisoning linked to contaminated horse meat sold through the Maffra District Knackery in Gippsland.

That incident, which is still unfolding, prompted the Australian Veterinary Association, the RSPCA and the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) to join forces in a call to end “the significant delays in developing and implementing robust pet food regulation”.

So far, 22,338 animal lovers have signed the open letter, with more signatures coming in every day.Ìý

Multiple cases, multiple deathsÌý

In a ÌÇÐÄVlog investigationÌýin February this year about numerous cases of megaesophagus linked to Veganpet dry dog food, we included a timeline of pet contamination cases going back to 2007, including more than 100 cases of megaesophagus linked to Advance Dermocare dry dog food in recent years.Ìý

In June 2021, we profiled the case of Lynne Moorman, whose seven show cats got sick after eating Royal Canin cat kibble.

In a 2018 investigation, we focused on theÌýcase of Nina Waltman, who’s convinced Royal Canin dry dog food made her Maltese Shih Tzu sick.

‘Things need to change’

Following the release of our open letter in August, we heard from a number of other pet owners whose pets had got sick or worse after eating contaminated pet food, including pets affected by the recent Maffra knackery incident.Ìý

“My dog’s name was Zary and she was killed by the poison from the Maffra knackery,” Paul Crawford told us. “I bought meat labelled as beef, which it clearly wasn’t. My girl was only four years old. Things need to change.”Ìý

Sue Graham’s two greyhounds suffered the same fate. “From the 7th of July, when our first dog died, I have been totally educated about how little regulation there is in the pet food industry and the fact that knackeries have no regulation whatsoever,” she says. “I didn’t realise any of that, but I certainly do now.”Ìý

Referring to the products that came from the Maffra knackery, which also trades under the brand names Backman’s Meats and Backman’s Greyhound Supplies, Graham says, “It never crossed my mind that there was ever going to be an issue with the meat. The meat looked really good, but it was just that one batch.

“Our dogs seemed to get the worst of it somehow. Our boy dog actually collapsed. I don’t understand why, but our dogs were very sick, and we ended up putting the second one to sleep because she was so ill.”Ìý

Graham, who’s in touch with other affected dog owners, says she understands that 26 dogs have died so far.Ìý

The shocking death toll in Victoria is just the latest incident.Ìý

‘I nearly killed my cat’Ìý

“A few years ago I nearly killed my beautiful black Oriental cat, Darcy, with dodgy cat food imported from France,” Annie Dunlop told us.

“He became sick and was vomiting and lethargic. I took him to the vet, who could find nothing wrong with him. He prescribed a diet, which I followed.Ìý

“Darcy recovered and I put him back on his ‘normal’ diet, which included the cat food he’d been eating.Ìý

“He became ill again. Naturally my other tins were ditched. I informed the vet of my findings.”

‘Same rules should be applied to pet food’

“I accidentally brought some contaminated dog treats, and suddenly Poko started having seizures,” Shane told us.Ìý

“Blood tests also showed he had liver damage. Poko was an ultra-healthy dog before he ate the dog treat, and then came the expensive vet bills and anti-seizure medications that he had to take for the remainder of his life.Ìý

“There have been many cases of pet food and pet treat contamination, and I think that the same rules should be applied to pet food and treats that are applied to human foods.”

We want mandatory safety standards

These responses clearly show that Australians are demanding mandatory safety standards for the foods we feed our pets – in line with those in countries including New Zealand, the US and jurisdictions such as the EU. But policymakers continue to drag their feet.Ìý

An October 2018 Senate report, ‘Regulatory approaches to ensure the safety of pet food’, laid out a strong case for mandatory standards in Australia, recommending that policymakers consider having the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act (FSANZ) cover pet food as well as human food.ÌýÌý

It also recommended that the federal government consider making the voluntary standard mandatory.Ìý

When the report was released, Minister of Agriculture David Littleproud (whose portfolio includes pet food regulation) said he would review its findings and that recommendations would be made in 2019 “about how to best manage pet food regulation and provide healthy and safe foods for pets in Australia”, adding, “I have asked my department to expedite this work.”

But it wasn’t until June 2021 that Littleproud’s working group released its response to the Senate report, and it rejected most of its key recommendations – the veryÌýrecommendationsÌýwe think are necessary to keep pets safe.Ìý

The latest deaths and the ongoing call for mandatory standards from industry, veterinarians, animal-protection agencies and the public demonstrate the need for a review of Littleproud’s decision.Ìý

In the meantime, the delays will continue to cost pets and their owners dearly.

The post Pet owners across Australia call for mandatory pet food safety regulations appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

ÌÇÐÄVlog will be sending an open letterÌýto Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud next week calling for the long-overdue establishment of mandatory pet food safety standards in Australia. We’re urging consumers to and let government know the time has come to better protect our pets.

The move follows the latest pet food contamination incident earlier this month, in which 23 dogs in Victoria reportedly died and 67 were hospitalised due to indospicine poisoning traced to contaminated horse meat from the Northern Territory.ÌýÌýÌý

The incident led the Australian Veterinary Association, the RSPCA and the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) to join forces in a call to end “the significant delays in developing and implementing robust pet food regulation”.

A mandatory standard for pet food safety was recommended by a Senate inquiry in October 2018. But that recommendation along with other key safety provisions was rejected in the final report of a working group headed up by Littleproud released earlier this year.

“Our pets are our family and, just like when we buy food for our loved ones at the supermarket, we expect some level of safety and quality control with pet food,” says ÌÇÐÄVlog consumer advocate Jonathan Brown.Ìý

“ÌÇÐÄVlog has heard too many devastating stories from people whose pets have been harmed by unsafe food. We need stronger standards and checks on pet food and, with the support of industry, experts, advocates and pet lovers, this should be a no-brainer for the government to implement.”

ÌÇÐÄVlog is delivering an open letter to the government calling for a mandatory pet food safety standard.Ìý

‘Robust and enforceable systems’

“Australians should be able to buy food for their pets knowing there are robust and enforceable systems in place to help prevent unsafe pet food being produced and sold, and ensure there is a standard recall process across the industry to guarantee a prompt and effective response if a problem is identified,” says RSPCA Australia senior scientific officer for companion animals Dr Sarah Zito.

Zito says a mandatory standard is needed “to guarantee that pet food meets a high standard of food safety and traceability, to prevent potential contaminants and toxins from entering pet food, and to ensure that there is a mandatory recall process to prevent further illnesses and deaths if a problem occurs”.

In February this year, PFIAA president Michelle Lang told ÌÇÐÄVlog: “We support the Australian standard becoming mandatory, and a framework that enables the enforcement of recalls by an independent regulator where quality or safety issues exist.”

“The AVA has consistently and strongly argued for a mandatory Australian pet food standard and an ongoing process of review and modification with clear guidelines for product recall,” head of policy and advocacy Dr Melanie Latter told us in February.

Multiple contamination cases

ÌÇÐÄVlog has been calling for mandatory standards since 2018 and has investigated a number of pet food contamination cases.

In June 2021, we profiled the case of Lynne Moorman, whose seven cats fell seriously ill after eating Royal Canin cat kibble.

In an earlier story this year, we highlighted the case of Rebecca Cleaver’s two greyhounds being diagnosed with megaesophagus after eating Veganpet dry dog food.Ìý

In a 2018 investigation, we focused on the case of Nina Waltman, who’s convinced Royal Canin dry dog food made her Maltese Shih Tzu sick.Ìý

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But as much as we love them, dogs have their downsides, cats their cons – and it’s called constant shedding. Yep, dog and cat hair, or dander, is the equivalent of glitter – it gets everywhere. On your furniture, clothes, floors – heck, even in your own hair.Ìý

Other than never wearing black again, what can you do to rid yourself of furry tumbleweeds and flyaway fluff? Read on for tips on how to clean up pet hair from your furniture, floors and clothes, plus some handy grooming tips.

How to remove pet hair from furniture

Use blankets (then your dryer)

If you’ve got a dog or cat who’s a couch pet-ato (geddit?), a designated blanket for them to lie on can help keep stains, smells and tufts of fur – especially on a fabric sofa – to a minimum. After all, it’s a lot easier to wash a throw than a couch. For a handy hack come laundry day, pop your hair-laden blankets in the tumble dryer for 10 minutes before washing. This will help loosen strands so they end up in the lint trap, ready to be disposed of. You could try adding a dryer sheet or dryer balls to help prevent static build-up (which can keep hair stuck in the fabric), too. Once done, give the blanket a shake, then wash as normal.

Grab your rubber gloves

Move over, dish duty: apparently rubber gloves are pretty great at removing pet hair, too. Pop a pair on, lightly wet them, then run them over your soft furnishings. The friction they create causes static energy, which attracts pet hair. Rinse off any debris and repeat as necessary.Ìý

Buy one of the best vacuums for pet hairÌý

For ridding your furniture – and your carpets – of pet hair, one of the most effective options is a vacuum cleaner. However, some models perform better than others, especially in the animal arena. Check out our best vacuum cleaners for removing pet hair (all with 100% hair-removal ratings!), from a budget-friendly $349 up to a pricey $1299.

How to clean pet hair off floors

Consider a robot vacuum cleaner

Speaking of vacuums, a hands-free, robot model can do the dirty work for you, even when you’re out the house. If you’ve got hard floors at home, our tests found robot vacs do a reasonable job of maintaining fluff-free floors when run daily, although they’re no match for stick, barrel or upright vacuums in terms of suction power. We found that, while robots pick up a decent amount of fluff – including pet hair – on hard floors, they’re not great on carpets, and actually end up pushing dirt into the pile.Ìý

Sweep floors with a rubber broom

Hard floors at home? Make like a hairdresser and grab yourself a rubber brush. Not only are those soft, flexible bristles unlikely to scratch surfaces, but the electrostatic charge they create supposedly works like a magnet to attract fluff and fuzz. Smaller handheld options can also be effective on furniture or clothing.

How to remove pet hair from clothes

Use a lint roller (or sticky tape)

When you’re in a rush or need a no-mess solution, a lint roller can quickly and easily remove pet hair and rogue fluff from your clothes. Sticky tape also does the job in a similar fashion. However, tape-based methods not only rack up the dollars, but also aren’t very eco-friendly, so you may want to consider using a fabric clothes brush instead. These brushes have tiny fabric bristles that point in one direction which are designed to pick up lint, dander, and pet hair. They’re easy to clean and can be reused.

Spritz some anti-static spray

Some people swear by anti-static spray to loosen stubborn pet hair from your favourite threads, before going over with a roller or other hair removal method. It may also work as a preventative measure on soft furnishings by helping to stop hair from sticking to fabric in the first place. Just be sure to always do a patch test first before you start dousing everything in sight.

How to reduce shedding in pets

Get into a grooming schedule

Pets shed: fact. Since prevention is always better than cure, it pays to get grooming. “Grooming your pet regularly helps keep your home free from hair and dander,” says Sharon Hall, NSW grooming development manager for Petbarn. “While the skin and hair life cycle of pets may differ from one animal to another, a regular schedule will help remove any dead coat that would otherwise be left on your clothes, furniture and floors.”Ìý

Regardless of animal and their coat length, Sharon advises setting aside a weekly grooming session at home. “Speak to your local groomer about which tools are best for your pet’s needs,” she adds. “And, if you’re unable to find much time to groom at home, consider booking grooming appointments every four to six weeks to help remove excess undercoat and limit shedding at home.”

Regularly bathe your buddy

For canine companions, a regular bath can work wonders for your dog. “​​While regular brushing is essential, products such as detangling sprays and shampoos also help lift the hair and make removing that dead coat easier and more comfortable for your pet,” says Sharon.Ìý

And as for water-shy cats? “Cats that are mostly smooth or short-coated can maintain their own grooming needs if young and healthy,” explains Sharon. “If your cat has a longer coat, or is getting older, they may not be able to manage the workload themselves and will appreciate help to stay clean and matt-free, plus minimise furballs.”Ìý

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Lynne Moorman describes her seven cats as “much loved and spoilt family members that have lived with us since they were 12 weeks old”, and you can hear the love in her voice.

You can also hear the pain when Moorman talks about all seven of them falling ill in September 2020. (Moorman has taken her cats, six Somalis and one part pedigree, to national cat shows around Australia, where they’ve won awards.)Ìý

New version of Royal Canin kibble

According to Moorman, the culprit was a new version of Royal Canin’s Light Weight Care kibble, which was added to her cats’ diets in August 2020.Ìý She had been feeding her cats the old version of the kibble since 2016.Ìý

The new kibble had gone from a pyramid to a donut shape, but Moorman is convinced that a change of ingredients is to blame for what began in September 2020 as diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss, bloody stools and loss of appetite and ended up as a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or lymphoma for five of her cats and ongoing sickness in the other two. (The two diseases present with similar symptoms.)Ìý

Royal Canin told Moorman there had been no change in ingredients and that the product shouldn’t cause digestive issues.Ìý

Around the time Moorman bought the newly shaped kibble in August, Royal Canin announced that some of its products would be made in a new South Korean facility rather than in France – a move that Moorman thinks has something to do with the change in the product and her cats’ resulting sickness.Ìý

“It’s unheard of to have all seven get sick all at the same time,” Moorman told ÌÇÐÄVlog. “It was horrendous. These are our family members, and it breaks my heart to see what they’ve had to go through.”Ìý

With so many visits and procedures in recent months, Moorman’s vet bills have passed the $10,000 mark.Ìý

Royal Canin: Our kibble is not to blame

Through several communications between Moorman and Dr Ben Porter, the scientific advisory veterinarian for the company, Royal Canin said it couldn’t establish a link between its product and the IBD cases.ÌýÌý

The company says there was no change in ingredients and that the product in question was manufactured in France. The change in shape happened in “late 2020”, Royal Canin told Moorman, and was not related to the new South Korean manufacturing location.

But Moorman drew the company’s attention to a video on Royal Canin’s Facebook page from July 2020 featuring the new donut-shaped kibble.Ìý

Because Moorman didn’t make the connection between the kibble and her cats’ illnesses until September, and she was feeding seven cats, she no longer had the packaging for the kibble she bought in August.Ìý

The lack of packaging meant Royal Canin couldn’t check the specific batch number of the product Moorman is convinced was the culprit.Ìý

In March 2021, Porter told Moorman “we have exhausted all support we can provide you in relation to this complaint”. Inflammatory bowel disease is “multifactorial”, the company said, and could not be definitively linked to its cat food.

Royal Canin didn’t specifically rule out its kibble as a possible cause, but said “we are not aware of identified health and safety risks to pets”.Ìý

No change of ingredients, says Royal Canin

“Prior to the food change in August 2020 all my cats were fine,” Moorman says, adding “there is no question in my mind whatsoever. I am absolutely 100% convinced that Royal Canin has caused the issues. There’s nothing else there.”

Royal Canin says there was no change of ingredients when the Light Weight Care kibble changed from pyramid to donut shape.Ìý

In February 2021, Porter emailed Moorman, saying, “I can confirm that our Light Weight Care diets manufactured in South Korea only became available for purchase in Western Australia from November 2020, which unfortunately does not match the timeline of your cats’ illness in their veterinary records.”

Signs of improvement

Moorman’s cats had started showing signs of improvement when we interviewed her in mid-May.Ìý

“Having taken them off Royal Canin, their coats have come back, their tails have come back,” Moorman says. “They’ve got more energy and they’re putting on weight. Two of them have put on nearly a kilo since January.”

‘Extremely let down’

But she says she still feels “extremely let down by Royal Canin”. Ìý

In her final communication, Moorman told Porter, “I understand that the exact cause of feline IBD is unknown, and experts attribute this condition to complex interactions between the environment, genetics and diet.Ìý

“I can understand it when one cat or even two cats from the same household are diagnosed with IBD, but when it happens to five cats within 12 weeks who are not all related to each other, then this is a different scenario altogether.”

Pet food unregulated in Australia

Pets falling ill, or worse, from eating pet food is hardly a new phenomenon in Australia. And with no mandatory pet food safety standards currently in place, pets continue to get sick.Ìý

We recently highlighted the case of Rebecca Cleaver’s two rescue greyhounds being diagnosed with megaesophagus after eating Veganpet dry dog food.Ìý

In an earlier story, we focused on the case of Nina Waltman, who’s convinced Royal Canin dry dog food made her Maltese Shih Tzu sick. (Royal Canin denied it was the cause.)Ìý

The standards that do exist, including the voluntary ones in Australia, appear to be falling short.Ìý

As we reported in our earlier story, a study published by the US National Institutes of Health in February 2020 makes the case that the cereals used in dry pet foods are “vectors of harmful mycotoxins posing the risk to pet health”, and that even at levels well below the EU regulatory threshold, mycotoxins can pose long-term health risks for pets.

More than 100 cases since 2017

Since 2017, more than 100 cases of megaesophagus have been linked to Advance Dermocare dry dog food in Australia, and at least eight dogs have died as a result of contracting the illness.Ìý

In a paper published in December 2018, the director of the University of Melbourne’s U-Vet Hospital, Professor Caroline Mansfield, says there was a “one in a million probability that this occurred by chance” and that the dog food was almost certainly the cause.Ìý

Yet the manufacturer of the product, Mars Australia, told ÌÇÐÄVlog in February 2021 that, “despite extensive investigations, a root cause of the 2018 outbreak has yet to be found”.

Slow progress for government working groupÌý

With hundreds of pet food contamination incidents on record in recent decades, the federal government took action in 2018.Ìý

At the time, Minister of Agriculture David Littleproud established a working group to review the regulation and safety of pet food.Ìý

When we reported on the Veganpet case in April 2021, Littleproud’s office told us the group’s final report “is now being finalised and is expected to be presented to senior Agriculture officials by the end of March 2021”.Ìý

We contacted the minister’s office for an update in mid-May and were told the report was still being drafted.Ìý

Both the Australian Veterinary Association and the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia think a mandatory standard is needed, as does pet food maker Royal Canin.Ìý

The recent case of Lynne Moorman and her seven cats underscores the need to accelerate the process.Ìý

Royal Canin also wants mandatory regulation

A Royal Canin spokesperson told us the company “supports the introduction of mandatory regulation of the Australian pet food industry. We recognise that adherence to consistent standards across the industry will improve the confidence of owners in the food they feed their pets”.

“We follow a thorough process to examine all aspects of quality and safety in our food production to investigate the cause of a pet’s illness, when an owner or veterinarian believes it to be linked to our product. In the absence of batch details from the [Lynne Moorman], we’ve been unable to complete any testing and establish a link between the reported illness and our product.”

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