Dash Kitten

Cat Photo Confidence For Everyone, Including You

  • Home
    • GET IN TOUCH
    • PRIVACY POLICY
  • About Me
    • Awards
    • Dash Kitten Commemoration
      • The Pinnectomy. Harvey’s Ear Surgery Report
  • Learn Cat Photo Skills
    • #52Assignments Collected Posts Page
  • Learn Cat Movie Skills
  • D.K. Crew’s Quarters
    • New Zealand Spotlight
    • The DK Mailing List
    • Product Reviews & Gift Guides
    • Our Special Pet Blogger Interviews
HOME » Facial Recognition Technology PiP App Helps Find Lost Pets

Facial Recognition Technology PiP App Helps Find Lost Pets

20/07/2018 by Marjorie Dawson 23 Comments

What cat parent’s ears would not prick up at a headline like this “Facial Recognition Technology Helps Find Missing Pets” especially during ‘Chip Your Pet Month’.

Chip Your Pet Month  Graphic

I love to report on positive developments that will benefit cat owners and I was keen to investigate this new technological development. If something helps reunite missing cats with their worried families I believe we should all know about it, and how it can help us as cat lovers and cat parents.

In this post on pet-focused technology:

  • I will introduce the facial recognition technology PiP, and
  • explain what it is.
  • I introduce the organisation adopting the technology in New Zealand,
  • and describe what happens when you report a missing cat and PiP starts working.

* indicates a link or explanation at the bottom of the post for technical terms used or links.

Discovering What PiP Is

I knew there would be questions from my readers which I tried to anticipate when speaking to Nygllhuw Morris, NZCAR* Manager, who I met at the 2018 New Zealand National Cat Show.

Like any cat lover, I wanted confirmation that this is a genuine tool that will help me, and cat owners like me, find a missing cat. Can a picture help strangers report a found pet and help it get home? I imagined the scene:

Your cat as ‘convict 99’ with their own mug shot, like our friend Katie from Glogirly?

Katie from Glogirly (c) Katie from Glogirly © IMAGE CREDIT

PiP technology is real. I was reassured to learn that there are no complicated applications or expensive fees involved for owners. The technology will assist everyone and the small one-off registration fee covers a cat for life.

Joining the facial technology revolution is as easy as taking a picture and registering your microchipped pet with the New Zealand Companion Animal Register – NZCAR*

Introducing NZCAR

For our international readers let me take a moment to introduce NZCAR. It is their forward thinking that has accelerated the introduction of PiP technology in this country.

In 2007 NZCAR realised that New Zealand needed its own country database for ‘microchipped companion animal repatriation’. Before this, the data was held in off-shore 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)
  • New Zealand Cat Fancy Inc. (NZCF)
  • 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)

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 microchip registration fee is a one-off charge for the life of your cat. There are no annual costs or worse, extra fees when your cat 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.

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 cat owners and other ‘chipped pets. The technology can also be accessed through the new NZCAR linked website LostPet.co.nz. 

TOP TIP: If you find what you believe to be a missing cat you can report it to Lost Pet or use the newly developed Pip App***. 

‘PiP’ is the most advanced pet facial recognition technology currently available and it is revolutionising the process of finding and reuniting families with lost pets here in New Zealand. It’s a cat photo recognition search engine.

How Does PiP Actually Work?

Cat owners might be surprised to realise that a human facial recognition algorithm** like the ones you see going through airport security could take at a detour into pet territory, but as the technology is adopted worldwide, many more cats and other companion animals will be located with Pip technology.

What is a ‘facial recognition algorithm’?

The phrase is a short way of saying lots about a complex idea.

For you and I, facial recognition algorithms identify features by finding 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. The clear picture below of Miranda is ready for submission to the PiP database.

Why is PiP So Important for Ordinary People?

One of the best and most important features of ‘PiP’ is that is mobile capable technology, and this is great news in the mobile-focused world we live in. You do not need to have access to an expensive and heavy microchip scanner.

NOTE: For those without a mobile telephone I give telephone contact details below.

If you find a missing cat ‘PiP’ technology means you can help return them home by taking a picture of the cat you find and adding it to the lost pet site. PiP and NZCAR will take over once you upload an image and immediately begin to run checks for a positive match.

TOP TIP: Try to make sure the unfamiliar cat is not a new pet who has moved in locally.Facial recognition for cats Jack is chipped and on the NZCAR register. © Image Credit: (FB) Michelle at Kokoro

How Do You Report Your Cat Missing?

Reporting a cat is easy to do. I wanted to make sure all of the family cats’ microchip details are up to date recently and discovered that reporting a cat missing is part of your personal microchip record page online.

Type your microchip number into the NZCAR query box on their front page, then confirm your email address. Once the email is confirmed you can access the page with your cat’s chip details. This is where you file your missing cat report.

  • Tick the notification box which is clearly indicated in red
  • This flags your pet as missing for NZCAR staff
  • A ‘PiP’ lost pet alert will be generated on lostpet.co.nz,
  • and will also be added as a notification on the New Zealand community site used by millions of people called Neighbourly.

PiP Facial Recognition

What Happens When A Cat Is Reported Missing?

If you flag your pet as missing, a notification appears in the staff computers, and the system itself looks for possible matches. Things start happening immediately and this is reassuring for you, the cat parent.

  1. When a notification of a missing animal arrives at NZCAR, images of found cats are analysed using PiP technology to see if there is a match.
  2. Agents such as vets within a 10 km (6 miles) radius are also notified your pet is missing. For rural pets, notifications are sent to the three nearest agents. That way if a missing pet is taken to a veterinarian and scanned for a chip, identification is almost immediate.

PiP Facial Recognition from NZCAR

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 with no charge to the caller.

The Facebook Touch

The ‘PiP’ system allows NZCAR staff to monitor lost and found posts on Facebook and import photographs for comparison.

One important thing to note. You as the Facebook page or post owner need to give permission for NZCAR to access your image. This means you must remember to adjust a picture’s setting on Facebook 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 ‘chipped 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 plenty of helpful information.

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.
‘PiP’ Facial Recognition image
Have you Lost and pet? Have you Found a pet? Use LostPet.co.nz

Missing Pets. What You Can Do to Help

We have a lot of dogs and cats in our community and recognise local ‘residents’. New Zealand Dogs have to be legally registered and wear a coloured tag that should be clearly visible. Many cats are tagged and wear a collar.

Local communities on Facebook and Neighbourly often have a lost and found pets section. This can be good for an immediate hit on your local area. It gives people a heads-up that an unfamiliar cat does have a home. and a contact point to reach them.

  • NZCAR 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. A cat hides better than a dog so, as well as filing your missing pet report, we recommend a web page by a lady called Kat Albrecht which cat owners will find helpful.

I quote a few words from her important post:

“…….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. 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 and reporting a deceased pet. This is an important issue and it matters. As a cat owner, you probably know this already, but 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“

I would want to know. It would be really hard for my family but I would rather know than live with endless uncertainty.

What Pets does the NZCAR accept as ‘chipped?

I have covered lost pets from the cats perspective and can hear the other pet owners asking ‘What about us?’

A large range of animals can be microchipped with NZCAR. If your animal is a family member, valuable, or even used as part of your work it can be included on the NZCAR database.

  • Cats
  • Birds
  • Reptiles
  • Cows
  • Dogs
  • Deer
  • Emu
  • Goats
  • Horses
  • Llamas
  • Ostriches
  • Rabbits
  • Guinea pigs
  • Sheep
PiP Fcial Recognition (c) Jacques_Palut
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. 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?

Definitions and sources:

* The NZCAR portal for pet owners
** Facial Algorithm – Wikipedia
*** PiP the NZCAR app

CWA Certificate of Excellence Winner

This post is a 2018 CWA Certificate of Excellence Winner

Join Dash Kitten on Social Media
20
Visit Us
Follow Me
Vimeo
fb-share-icon
Share211
Pin101
Tweet
Share
Share

Filed Under: Cat Blog, New Zealand Spotlight Tagged With: Facial recognition for Pets, lost cts, NZCAR, Pip

Meet Marjorie, Writer and Photographer

Portrait by a window with teddy bears Taken with a smartphone.Marjorie is a cat lover, photographer and smartphone moviemaker who loves sharing her knowledge with learners.

Marjorie is a Cat Writers’ Association Professional member, CWA Muse® Medallion and Certificate Winner, and winner of the CWA Kuykendall Image Award for her photography.

 

Comments

  1. Marv says

    22/04/2019 at 10:39 am

    Is not what they can do with imaging technology fabulous!?!?
    Happy Easter to all of you from All of Us
    Purs and Hugs
    Marv, Ninja and Mom

    Reply
  2. The Swiss Cats says

    26/07/2018 at 5:23 pm

    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

    Reply
  3. Sandy Kubillus says

    23/07/2018 at 3:41 pm

    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!

    Reply
  4. Kamira says

    23/07/2018 at 2:30 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Dash Kitten says

      23/07/2018 at 6:59 pm

      Kamira, your comment about updating details hit home here. I have literally just checked everyone of ours to ensure they are up to date.

      Reply
  5. Cathy Armato says

    23/07/2018 at 10:07 am

    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

    Reply
  6. Sonja of Montecristo Travels says

    23/07/2018 at 9:19 am

    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!

    Reply
  7. Sweet Purrfections says

    23/07/2018 at 6:09 am

    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.

    Reply
  8. Michelle says

    23/07/2018 at 3:06 am

    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.

    Reply
  9. Tenacious Little Terrier says

    22/07/2018 at 1:36 pm

    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.

    Reply
  10. Beth says

    22/07/2018 at 10:19 am

    I love that photo of Katie! PiP sounds like a wonderful resource to help pets and their people be reunited!

    Reply
  11. Joelle says

    22/07/2018 at 8:02 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Dash Kitten says

      22/07/2018 at 11:26 am

      We agree. As a result of our research I have checked everyone and am adding them to PiP right now!

      Reply
  12. Adriana Lopez says

    21/07/2018 at 7:26 pm

    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.

    Reply
  13. Jana Rade says

    21/07/2018 at 11:34 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Dash Kitten says

      21/07/2018 at 4:34 pm

      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.

      Reply
  14. Brian Frum says

    21/07/2018 at 11:16 am

    That really is pretty amazing. I wonder what the next couple of years will bring.

    Reply
  15. mommakatandherbearcat says

    21/07/2018 at 10:56 am

    Oh! I love this. I’ve heard so many people have chip problems and this makes a great backup.

    Reply
  16. Ruth Epstein says

    21/07/2018 at 9:35 am

    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

    Reply
  17. The Island Cat says

    21/07/2018 at 9:26 am

    Wow, what an interesting system. We wonder if there’s something similar in the US.

    Reply
  18. Hindy Pearson says

    21/07/2018 at 6:07 am

    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.

    Reply
  19. Meezer's Mews & Terrieristical Woofs says

    21/07/2018 at 5:44 am

    Wow, I wonder if there is such a thing here in the USA, or Canada. If not maybe soon there will be.

    Reply
  20. ERin the Cat (Princess) says

    20/07/2018 at 7:01 pm

    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

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Join Our Mailing List!

Discover, Learn, Share, Teach.

Dash Kitten Contact Us Graphic for the Blog

Kuykendall Image Award Winner 2020

Cat Writers’ Association
Link to the About Me page introducing Marjorie, Author of the blog at Dash Kitten

CWA Muse® Medallion Winner

Graphic for an Award winner to display on their web site.

Associate Disclaimer

Dash Kitten is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking Amazon.com

RIP Friend Nerissa the Cat

A memorial tribute picture and link to our fellow adventurer

Please follow & like us :)

20
Visit Us
Follow Me
Vimeo
fb-share-icon

Humarian for Pets and People

Humarian Probiotics Promotional graphic for my favourite probiotics

Quote DASHKITTEN for 20% OFF your first order.

Triple Finalist – Nose to Nose Awards 2018

Nose to Nose Awards 2018

Blog Collaboration Award

Special Certificate 2015
Dash Kitten Newsletter Link and Logo including a cute picture of Miranda the cat
Dash Kitten Contact Us Graphic for the Blog

Dash Kitten Social Media

20
Visit Us
Follow Me
Vimeo
fb-share-icon
Dash Kitten Newsletter Logo

NEWS FROM DASH KITTEN

  • New Cafe Kittens – Pooka the Tuxedo
  • The Great Outdoors #52Assignments No. 7
  • Creative Photo Ideas For Lockdown Cat Lovers
  • Summer Selfie Portrait in the Garden
  • Brand on #52Assignments No. 6
A link to my About Met page

Copyright Notice for Dash Kitten ©

All images and text used on this site, from its creation to date are copyrighted ©  to Marjorie Dawson, Whskr and Dash Kitten.com unless otherwise noted.  Content cannot be used without my specific written permission. Please let me know via the Get In Touch page if you are interested in using images or stories from DashKitten.com

Copyright © 2021 · Enterprise Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

40 SHARE