One in three pets, at some point in their life, is at risk of being lost. Ten million pets are reported lost or stolen every year in the United States. To help address this issue, the Iams pet product brand was launched Beta version of the innovative NoseID mobile app, which uses the first smartphone-scanning technology to identify lost dogs through their nose print., Which is unique to each dog, very similar to a human fingerprint.
The NoseID app invites users to create a profile for their dog, complete with a nose wipe and a physical description. If it disappears, the owner can report the loss. This way an alert is instantly sent to other app users in the community.
Anyone who finds a lost dog can use the app to check alerts and scan the found dog’s nose for matches.
If a dog is identified, the user can contact the owner to bring them together. The app also has resources for pet owners, an interactive map of lost dogs, and a poster generator for searches.
While it is currently only available in Nashville and the surrounding area, the app is scheduled to launch in other cities.
The app uses a machine learning model to recognize dog noses, and has developed the technology to make it available on a standard smartphone. The system uses the camera to Scan the dog’s nose in real time and convert it into “NoseID”, the unique biometric identity of the dog.
Craig Neely of Mars Petcare says in a statement. “The app is designed to be a resource for the community, so whether or not someone has a dog, they will be able to join the NoseID community to help reunite lost dogs with their families in their area.”
The NoseID app is available for Apple and Android devices only for Nashville users. Meanwhile, interested users can still download the app or subscribe to an email to be notified when it becomes available in their city.