Temperature-Controlled 'Dog Smart Pods' Are Either Brilliant or Barbaric
All of us dog owners know that our pups love to go bye-bye, but not a lot of places, like grocery stores or indoor restaurants allow dogs. We all know it's an extremely bad idea to leave your dog in a parked car, and a lot of dog owners don't feel comfortable tying their dog up outside a store while they run errands.
Spotted in Canada are new temperature controlled dog pods from a company called Pet Parker where you can leave your dog safe inside a little storage container while you do your business.
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Here's a happy little cartoon that shows how it works:
Even though the Pet Parker has been around for a while now, it was recently covered in the Vancouver Sun which reported, "Businesses rent the pods on a subscription basis, and pet owners can access the stations for free through the PetParker app. The steel pods are ventilated, temperature-monitored and bolted to the ground. Designed for short-term stays, the spaces will fit small- to large-sized dogs up to about 45 kg. Dogs have to be at least six months old, housebroken, healthy and with up-to-date vaccines."
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Each station has an electronic lock controlled by an app, and a built-in camera so owners can view their pets. The article also explains that , "Data shows pet owners use the pods between three minutes to an hour, with an average of about 15 minutes."
Why This May Not Be a Great Idea
As much as I love this idea, and it's like a gazillion times better than leaving your dog tied up outside a place of business, I can see where these pods would have drawbacks, at least for me.
Number one, I'd be worried about some bozo walking up and knocking on the glass and bothering my dog while he's in the pod. Or even worse, someone letting their dog go up to the glass and my dog losing his mind at seeing another dog. My dog, even though he's been socialized around other dogs, would go crazy seeing another dog he couldn't interact with.
Also these pods connect to an app which allows owners to view their pets, so yes, I know I said I would eat lunch with you but during our entire meal I'll be watching my dog to make sure he is okay in this pod.
Plus, what if the fan breaks and your dog is stuck in a hot metal box? I'm sure the company has safeguards for these things but I think if I were to use one it would be for a very short quick errands until I am more comfortable with it.
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