I love to report on pet-focused technology that helps the cat lover on the street, and when I read about PiP Facial Recognition Technology I knew this was important news for everybody.
I spoke to NZCAR, the New Zealand Companion Animal Register at the 2018 New Zealand National Cat Show. Like any cat lover, I wanted confirmation that this was something real that cat parents could believe would help them find a missing cat.
There would be questions from blog readers and I tried to anticipate them as I spoke to New Zealand Companion Animal Register Manager, Nygllhuw Morris. A picture could help strangers easily report a found pet and help it get home? Your cat as ‘convict 99’ with their own mug shot, like our friend Katie from Glogirly?
Katie from Glogirly © IMAGE CREDIT
PiP technology is real, it is here and I was assured that there are no complicated applications and no expensive fees. This is a real help, not a luxury for a privileged few cat owners. The one-off registration fee covers a pet for life and joining the facial technology revolution is as easy as taking a picture and registering your microchipped pet with NZCAR.
An Introduction to NZCAR
For our international readers let me introduce NZCAR, the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.
In 2007 NZCAR realised that we needed our own country based database for microchipped companion animal repatriation. Before this, the data was held in Australia. NZCAR set about establishing a missing pets partnership with New Zealand’s major pet organisations.
- New Zealand Companion Animal Council Inc. (NZCAC)
- New Zealand Veterinary Association Inc. (NZVA)
- The Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Inc (SPCA)
- NZVA Companion Animal Society (NZVA CAS)
- New Zealand Kennel Club (NZKC)
- New Zealand Cat Fancy Inc. (NZCF)
Profits from the established database go to a dedicated Trust and representatives from each organisation meet regularly to oversee the fund’s management.
NZCAR works with 98% of vets and rescues and the $15 registration fee is a one-off charge for the life of your pe. There are no annual costs or worse, extra fees when your pet is missing. The registration fee makes you a ‘registered user’ and you have access to all the help NZCAR can give. Over 600,000 animals are currently registered on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.
Are you registered with NZCAR and its #PiP Technology?Click To TweetPiP Facial Recognition in New Zealand
PiP Facial Recognition is the latest pet recovery breakthrough rolled out by NZCAR. It is cutting-edge technology at the service of pet owners. It can also be accessed through the new NZCAR linked website LostPet.co.nz.
‘PiP’ is the most advanced Pet Facial Recognition Technology available at the moment, and it is revolutionising the process of finding and reuniting families with lost pets here in New Zealand. You could describe it as a pet photo recognition search engine.
Meet the ‘PiP’ Software
For cat owners, it is a stunning realisation that a human facial recognition algorithm took at an unexpected turn into companion animal territory and now benefits cats worldwide with Pip technology. A plain clear picture like Miranda’s below is ready for submission to the Pip database.
Can you explain what a facial algorithm is?
The words are actually a short way of saying lots about a complex idea. For you and I, facial recognition algorithms identify features by extracting landmarks from an image of our faces. For example, an algorithm may analyse the relative position, size, and/or shape of your eyes, nose, cheekbones, and jaw. For a cat parent just replace your cat’s face with your own and the technology does the same thing. It identifies things such as facial marks, colour placement and ear position.
PiP Facial Recognition in New Zealand
PiP Facial Recognition is the latest pet recovery breakthrough rolled out by NZCAR. It is cutting-edge technology at the service of pet owners. It can also be accessed through the new NZCAR linked website LostPet.co.nz.
‘PiP’ is the most advanced Pet Facial Recognition Technology available at the moment, and it is revolutionising the process of finding and reuniting families with lost pets here in New Zealand. You could describe it as a pet photo recognition search engine.
Why is PiP So Important for Ordinary People Like Us?
One of the best and most important features of ‘PiP’ is that is mobile capable technology, and this is great news for smartphone owners. You do not need an expensive microchip scanner.
The really good part? If you find a missing pet ‘PiP’ technology means you can help return them home by taking a picture of the found pet and adding it to lostpet.co.nz. PiP and NZCAR will take over once you upload an image and begin to run checks for matching pets.
TIP: Try to make sure the unfamiliar is not a new pet who has moved in locally.
Jack is chipped and on the NZCAR PiP register. © Image Credit: (FB) Michelle at Kokoro
How NZCAR and PiP Get Pets Back Faster
Growth in the microchipping of pets is increasing in New Zealand. It is actually a legal requirement for dogs and may become so for cats sometime in the future but a lot has to be done in relation to community cats and ferals before this takes place.
How do you, as a registered user post your pet as missing?
This is surprisingly easy to do. I found out myself because when researching this post I wanted to make sure all of our cats’ details are up to date for this blog post. You type your pet’s microchip number into the NZCAR query box, and, confirm your email address. Once your email is confirmed you access the page with all your chip details.
- Tick the notification box which is clearly indicated in red
- This flags your pet as missing for NZCAR staff
- A ‘PiP’ lost pet alert can autogenerate a lostpet.co.nz alert
- and also be added as a notification on the local New Zealand site Neighbourly.
If You Are Registered for ‘PiP’ Facial Recognition and Lose a Cat
After a notification arrives at NZCAR, images of found pets are loaded into the PiP application, analysed and matched with pictures of missing pets nearby to see if one matches your missing family member. If you flag your pet as missing, a notification appears in the staff admin panel, and the system itself looks for possible matches so things start happening immediately.
Agents such as vets within a 10 km/6 mile radius are also notified your pet is missing. For rural pets, notifications are sent to the three nearest agents. If a missing pet is taken to a veterinarian, identification is almost immediate.
You can report a found pet at the Pip App page, or Lost Pet site.
What If I Can’t Get Online?
Even if a pet has a microchip its owner may not be able to access the internet. For these pet owners, NZCAR is available by landline/mobile telephone by calling 0800 LOSTPET. This is a ‘freephone’ service.
The Facebook Touch
The ‘PiP’ system allows NZCAR staff to monitor lost and found posts on Facebook and import photographs for comparison. Critically, you as page or post owner needs to give permission for them to access your image. This means you should remember to do adjust a picture’s setting if you have flagged your pet as missing with NZCAR.
How Do I Get ‘PiP’ Facial Recognition?
Registrations for the NZCAR “PiP” Facial Recognition in New Zealand began in December 2017 and are open now. Costs for PiP can be broke down as follows:
- $15.00 – the fee for standard NZCAR microchip only registration. This places your pet on the database.
$30.00 – Will upgrade an existing NZCAR registration to “PiP”
$45.00 – If you are new to NZCAR microchip registration combined with “PiP” facial recognition.
One great thing is about PiP and NZCAR is that they don’t suddenly increase the price if you register your pet and join PiP after a pet goes missing. The cost is the same and it is worth the investment.
Both the NZCAR website and LostPet.co.nz are helpful websites and they will give you all the information you need.
If you do need to get in touch with NZCAR :
- General enquiries or address updates & no missing pet, please ring during office hours. 8.30 – 5 p.m. Mon-Fri 0800 LOSTPET
- After hours NZCAR only has emergency staff on duty, and as they are working remotely they may not have full access for all enquiries.
- For lost pet support you can call their 0800 567873 number in the evenings and weekends to speak to the on-call support staff. 5.00pm-Midnight Weekdays, 8.30am-Midnight Weekends
- Message service From Midnight to 8.30am NZCAR offers a message service. Your call will be returned the following morning.
Have you Lost and pet? Have you Found a pet? Use LostPet.co.nz
Missing Pets. What You Can Do
We have a lot of dogs and cats in our area. Dogs have registration tags clearly visible and often have an owner’s ‘phone number and/or an address. Cats are often tagged and wear a collar. These are useful ways to identify an animal.
Local communities on Neighbourly or Facebook often have a lost and found pets section which can be great for an immediate hit in your local area. NZCAR even has a lost pets poster you can customise with your own details and pictures then print off.
Specific Cat Search Advice
Cats can be a challenge and alongside your NZCAR PiP notification, and the advice from NZCAR, we recommend a web page by a lady called Kay Albrecht which cat owners will find helpful.
I quote a few words from her important post because it has a lot of important insights:
“…….social media posts and (bright) neon posters should be a supplement to a targeted search in the immediate area of where the cat disappeared. Most often this involves an aggressive, physical search of a cat’s territory. And yes, that means looking under and in every conceivable hiding place in your yard and in your neighbours’ yards!” – Kat Albrecht
Found Pets
There is plenty of good advice for people who find pets on the NZCAR website if you find a pet. Their advice covers pets on your property, and also the unhappy effects on another family if you ‘think you will keep it’.
The site also covers the important issue of finding a dead pet. Yes, this matters, and as a cat owner, you probably know this already. The words on the website will hit home, they did with me.
“there is most likely still an owner who would prefer to know than keep worrying“
We would want to know. It would be really hard for us but my family would rather know than live with endless uncertainty for many months.
What Pets does the NZCAR accept as ‘chipped?
We have covered lost pets from the cats perspective and I can hear the other pet owners going ‘Hey! What about me?”
A large range of animals can be ‘chipped with NZCAR. If your animal is a family member, valuable, or even used as part of your work, like an alpaca who provides fibre for yarn, or a cow on a lifestyle block, they can be accepted on to the database.
- Cats
- Birds
- Reptiles
- Cows
- Dogs
- Deer
- Emu
- Goats
- Horses
- Llamas
- Ostriches
- Rabbits
- Guinea pigs
- Sheep
WAIT!?!?! I am microchipped?
PiP Chips and Positives
One particular event hit home with us all in New Zealand and showed the power and effectiveness of the microchip. The earthquake in Christchurch in 2011 was a major tragedy that affected humans and their pets. Positive action had to be taken in Christchurch by formal and ad hoc animal rescue teams working against the clock as buildings and areas were assessed for safety.
NZCAR provided a freephone 0800 missing pets number for all pet owners to help locate missing pets. Owners of chipped and un-chipped could use the service. The organisation managed to help get 25% of non-chipped pets home in two or three days. NZCAR managed to reunite 85% chipped pets and owners in a matter of two or three hours!
Chipping Your Pet
All of our cats are chipped and one by one we are adding them to PiP. Microchipping is simply part of being responsible pet people. We urge everyone to get a pet chipped as soon as you are able.
Local authorities sometimes have cut-price or free chipping so check online or ring them up. The NZSPCA and animal charities will often provide spay and neutering services. Your cat is spayed, isn’t it? You can find out a lot of the information about chipping online, via Neighbourly or your local vets.
- TIP Don’t forget to tell NZCAR when you FIND your pet as well!
We packed a lot of information into our PiP post because we know New Zealand pet owners need this information. You also need to know where to find it.
What do you think is the most important thing to remember when your own pet is lost?
Marjorie and the
Dash Kitten Crew
Definitions:
Facial Algorithm – Wikipedia
PiP the NZCAR app
The NZCAR portal for pet owners
What a great idea ! We love when technology helps pet pawrents ! We both are microchipped, but added to facial recognition, it’s really one more advantage. Purrs
Wow, Pip sounds like great technology. I hope we get it here in the states soon. Someone would microchip an ostrich? I guess only in NZ!
Facial recognition for our pets?! If someone would have told me 20 years there would be such a thing one day I’d laugh in your face. I think this is wonderful. I’m in the USA but think it’s wonderful that in New Zealand there are laws in place to chip pets to help further ensure pet who are lost get reunited with their owners. Hmm what do I think it the most important tip when it comes to a lost pet? Aside from a chip, I think keeping your contact information updated is a must. When I used to volunteer at another organization for cat adoption, we would get a number of strays due to the animal being lost and the owners information being outdated/unavailable to reach. So sad.
Kamira, your comment about updating details hit home here. I have literally just checked everyone of ours to ensure they are up to date.
What a terrific service, you are so lucky in NZ to have this! I also applaud NZ for requiring pets to be microchipped. I really think that helps encourage more responsible pet ownership. I remember hearing about a company in the US that was starting a facial recognition service, but they were targeting shelters – I don’t think shelters are the big client base for the service, they usually don’t have the funds for it, but pet parents often do! Thanks for sharing this.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
We microchip because it’s mandatory for many of the countries we visit. One thing I am always saying to people is to remember to register the chip! on its own it is a lot less effective. I’d personally LOVE to see one single international data base. One that would work no matter what country we happen to be in.
Facial recognition is an interesting addition!
Such an amazing development in technology. I hope this can expand worldwide. It’s so sad the number of pets who get lost each year and never make it back home.
It is a legal requirement in the UK for dogs to be microchipped, sadly (and unbelievably) it is not a requirement for a vet to scan a new dog/cat coming into them. There also seems to be so many dogs that are lost and then found, with a chip but no up to date details on the chip. Schemes like this help everyone reunite pets with their rightful owner and stops so much distress to owners.
Cool technology. I hope it becomes more widespread. Mr. N is chipped and I have them check his chip every now and then because apparently his previous chip either migrated or it was never put in properly. And it wouldn’t come up on the scanner.
I love that photo of Katie! PiP sounds like a wonderful resource to help pets and their people be reunited!
Really cool technology! I know people forget to update their microchip information, so this seems like another safeguard to make sure a pet gets home to the right people.
We agree. As a result of our research I have checked everyone and am adding them to PiP right now!
This is an awesome idea we need this PIP recognition software in the USA. All my pets are chipped but this is an extra safety measure. Loving all the pics and the kitty Katie mug shot is hilarious.
That is a fantastic idea. Sound genius. The main question with any such things, though, is how widely known and used it is. Which can be a problem with some microchips as well; if the scanners don’t accommodate them.
I believe NZ has only two main microchip scanners and NZCAR has distributed over 650 scanners free to organisations throughout the country to help scan pets which is a help. They also attend fairs to publicise the value microchipping and the new PiP Facial Recognition.
We hope we are helping get word out too.
That really is pretty amazing. I wonder what the next couple of years will bring.
Oh! I love this. I’ve heard so many people have chip problems and this makes a great backup.
What a fantastic idea and am going to read up more about it as my biggest fear is an earthquake happening when I am not at home although Layla is chipped. Thanks for sharing this awesome post and new innovation with me
Wow, what an interesting system. We wonder if there’s something similar in the US.
That’s quite an amazing system, never heard of such a thing before. I love how so many organisations are involved to help reunite missing pets with their families. Technology has really advanced, so we no longer have to rely solely on hanging up flyers. Any avenue is worth exploring when a pet goes missing.
Wow, I wonder if there is such a thing here in the USA, or Canada. If not maybe soon there will be.
Wow, I never realised that such a great system existed. But now you describe it, it makes perfect sense that it should and great that it is so accessible too, and easy to use. I can’t see a down side to this, for as companion carers, we all should have every means to keep our precious pals safe and sound.
Another great article, thanks for sharing
ERin