HYDERABAD: Pet parents in Hyderabad will soon have a mobile facial recognition app that can track lost pets, identify dogs and sniff out irresponsible pet owners. Being developed by Mars Petcare, the app can identify one dog from another using artificial intelligence (AI).
“Like human faces, every dog has a unique and expressive face. Identifying dogs of the same breed may be confusing at times, but the app can do this with ease and accuracy. We have already tested the app using thousands of dog images and got a patent registered for building it too,” says Ganesh Ramani, general manager of Mars Petcare India.
There are several apps available across the world that use dogs’ noseprints for identification. But this app uses facial features. “Soon after it’s launched, we will also focus on integrating AI systems that can help recognise cats. Well, cats escape more often than dogs,” says Ganesh.
MAUD Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar, who attended the inaugural of the Indies Dog Show at the Dog Park in Gachibowli on October 31, says losing a dog is like losing a child. “The app is futuristic. We will make sure that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) also helps people find their pets, and this app will make it easier,” he says.
Dogs that escape from homes have a hard time surviving on the streets, with their lifespan cut down to three-four years as opposed to 14-15 years when they are cared for, says Ganesh.
Mars Petcare, in association with the Vets’ Society for Animal Welfare and Rural Development, is hosting a series of events such as pet health camps and stray pup adoption drives.
The aim of the Indie Dog Show on Sunday was to change the perception that pet owners have towards streeties and to create more acceptance for them. “We called it IndieProud as Indian dogs, unlike foreign breeds, are better suited for Indian conditions from a health and wellness perspective,” says Ganesh.