The UK Pet Register reports 1 in 3 pets will go missing in it's lifetime and many pet owners can relate to the fear and anguish that come with their furry friend going for a walkabout. The Pod 2 promises to be the world's smallest, lightest pet GPS tracker and activity monitor on the market designed to fit on your pet's collar, track it's activity and give you it's location on demand. The Pod is a cylindrical shape with no corners, making it really comfortable for your pet to wear. It is waterproof for up to 30 minutes at 1 metre and is ultra-light at 29g - that's just 6g more than a standard AA battery.

The app is very intuitive and you get 1 year's free subscription which becomes $49 (about 34 pounds) thereafter. Instead of just being a GPS locator and activity monitor, the app creates an entire network where you can enter into the Pet League to see if you have the fastest dog or the most adventurous cat. The Pod 2 enables you to leave the device on Standby Mode, giving you a battery life of 4-6 days. By pressing 'Locate Now' you can establish your pet's current position on a map in real time, whether they are indoors or outdoors. A cool little feature is the 'Safe Zone' which means you can set an area you are happy to let your pet roam around in on the map and you will get an alert on your phone to notify you they've escaped when they stray out of that safe zone.

Using this feature gives you 1.5 - 3 days of battery life. You can also put it in 'Adventure' mode' (6 - 8 hours of battery life) which tracks your pet's location every 10 seconds, making it a handy tool for spying on roaming kitties. You can use these tools to keep your pet safe as well as monitor their activity and get a sneak peek into their private lives. The issue I had, however, was even though it is very light, it was too bulky for my fussy feline to put up with. It would sit on the back of his neck but as he walked about, it would slip down until it was under his chin. At this point he was so appalled that I dared to try and accessorise him that he wiggled and fussed about until he pulled his collar off (a quick release cat collar). If you have a more obliging pet then this is a delightful product with some great easy to use tools that can help keep your pet healthy and safe. RRP 139 pounds.

4.5 out of 5

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Pros

Light and cylindrical shape

Two interchangeable batteries

Attaches securely to the collar

Gives location and activity levels

Cons

Some smaller pets may still find it irritating