Unfortunately, in today’s intense work-oriented lifestyle, spending ample time with one’s pets becomes difficult. I also often feel guilty when I neglect Crew and Barney. But, like the modern consumer, I have found the perfect solution to counter this guilt in the shape of pre-installed security cameras.
As a proud father of two loving pups, I cannot stress how important their well-being is to me. After a tough day at work, Crew and Barney are the reasons that make my day special. The way they wait for me at the front door, the enthusiasm with which they jump on me, or how they fight each other for my attention are all things that make me inseparable from my pups. To me, they are family.
The primary purpose of any pre-installed camera is surveillance. Any security camera can do this job effectively. They help keep an eye out for what your pets do when you are not home.
Using a pet or security camera, I can see if Crew and Barney are being nice to each other and if they are, I will make sure to buy them a treat.
Most modern security cameras also have the ability to show real-time footage of your pet using dedicated mobile applications. This is especially useful. For instance, if I see Barney choking on his treat, I can quickly drive home and do whatever possible to quickly nurse him back to health. In these situations, every second matters.
This is why cameras become an incredibly important tool for constantly monitoring one’s pets and ensuring they are safe and happy.
Now, there are a number of pet security cameras available on the market that monitor the activities of your beloved pet.
In this article, I will talk about two such cameras: pet security cameras and home security cameras. I will discuss what both cameras do, how much they cost, what unique features they have, and ultimately, if they improve both your and your pet’s quality of life.
Pet Security Cameras
As the name suggests, pet cameras are designed specifically for monitoring pets. They have features that make them unique from regular cameras. For instance, some pet cameras have the ability to throw treats to your pet remotely. This means that instead of rewarding Crew and Barney for their good behavior after I get home, I can reward them immediately with just the touch of a button on my smartphone.
Most pet security cameras also come with night vision, 360 swivel movement, and are quieter. Some dog-oriented pet cameras also detect when your dog is barking and send notifications to your phone so you can quickly see if everything is alright. With these features and their attractive design, there’s just something about pet cameras that ooze both functionality and appeal.
A recent addition to pet cameras is audio output. This means that you can virtually speak to your pet using the camera. Studies have shown that animals recognize the voices of people they are close to. And such voices can have a calming effect on them. This means that if you see your dog hyperventilating or causing a ruckus in the living room, you can use the pet camera to communicate with your pet and (hopefully) calm it down.
However, pet security cameras are expensive. They are also hard to find. Not every hardware store has them available at all times. Additionally, some pet cameras charge a premium for using their mobile application. Or even have a subscription-based model. All of these things jack up the prices even further. Here are two pet cameras that might interest you.
Home Security Cameras
With home security cameras, the keyword is bang for the buck! These cameras are not fancy. But they get the job done. And they do so while being significantly cheaper than pet cameras.
While home security cameras might not have cool features like fully functional treat dispensers, they mostly have all the monitoring features you need to keep your pets safe. Night vision, 360-swivel ability, and high-quality video are nowadays guaranteed with most home security cameras. And in my experience, these are the features you are most likely to use long-term for monitoring your pets.
Additionally, home security cameras are reliable. This is because these cameras have been in business for much longer than pet cameras. Their software is more refined, more private, and less prone to crashing. At the same time, their hardware is more solid and considerably cheaper. These cameras and their hardware are also readily available in most hardware stores. This means that if your camera breaks down for some reason, you can quickly get it replaced or repaired.
That being said, home security cameras can make living rooms look slightly more daunting. Suppose guests arrive and see the camera mounted on a corner wall; they might feel uncomfortable and slightly intimidated by its presence.
These cameras may also aesthetically not match the interior décor of your home and finding one that suits the aesthetic of your home may be an arduous task. Especially considering that most home security cameras come in sets which would entail the installation of multiple devices in different rooms, which can be a real eyesore. This would also mean that you would have to be cognizant of the number and placement of outlets and be wary of the extensive wiring required to ensure that they function efficiently. Without this, the purpose of installing home security cameras is defeated entirely.
My Pick
In the battle between pet cameras and home security cameras, the latter comes out on top. This is because home security cameras are considerably more affordable than pet cameras. While pet cameras are cool, they bring very few advantageous features to the table (the treat dispenser being one of them).
Most of what pet cameras do can be done by home security cameras. They are sturdier and have better build quality. They might not be as pretty to look at, but with so many different options in the market, I doubt you won’t find one that perfectly fits your home décor aesthetic.
