Pet fence

Last updated October 23, 2024

A pet fence or radio fence, is an electronic system designed to keep a pet or other domestic animal within a set of predefined boundaries without the use of a physical barrier. A mild electric shock is delivered by an electronic collar if its warning sound is ignored. The system was first invented and patented by Richard Peck in 1973.^[1]

History

The pet fence was created in 1973 by Richard Peck. Peck was a traveling salesman and through his travels, he saw enough dogs hit by cars that it led to him creating the pet fence system. In 1976, salesman John Purtell bought the rights to the pet fence and rebranded it as "Invisible Fence" which offered a different option for pet owners in terms of pet containment. In 1990, Invisible Fence Co became Invisible Fence Inc.^[1]

Technology

A typical invisible fence transmits a radio signal that takes the geometric shape of the area that is enclosed by the system. The pet wears a lightweight collar that emits a sensory cue, such as a warning sound, when the pet nears the boundary. If the warning is ignored and the pet crosses beyond the boundary of the fence, the pet receives an additional signal, such as a mild electric shock, or a combination of signals that causes the animal to adapt its behavior and remain within the boundary. Only animals that wear equipment that captures the system's signals are affected by the defined boundaries of the system.^[2]

Although called "fences", these fence less boundary systems are more accurately termed electronic pet containment systems. Similar containment systems may be used to contain livestock ^[2] in circumstances where ordinary agricultural fencing is not convenient or legal, such as on British common land.

Variants

An underground fence is an electronic system to prevent pets from leaving a yard. A buried wire around the containment area emits a radio signal to activate the receiver collar. A shock collar on the pet receives these signals. When the pet approaches the buried fence line, the collar makes a warning sound and then gives the pet a harmless electric shock.

Other pet fences are wireless. Rather than using an underground wire, they emit a radio signal from a central unit, and activate when the pet travels beyond a certain radius from the unit.

In another type, the collar uses GPS signals to determine proximity to a predetermined "virtual fence", without the need for any physical installation at all. This system allows some additional flexibility, such as simpler inclusion of "islands" within the containment area, and easier changes to the boundary, although location of the boundary is not as precise due to GPS tolerances.

In addition, some collars have multiple settings, allowing owners to have a collar emit a tone only, or one of several levels of static shock, with higher levels used to contain bigger, stronger dogs.

Downsides

Underground fences cannot exclude other animals from the predetermined boundary.^[3] A dog contained within an underground fence can still fall prey to a larger dog or coyote, or even a person looking to harass or steal animals. This type of fencing does not have a warning mechanism to humans who might inadvertently wander inside the perimeter, making them more susceptible to dog bites/attacks. This type of containment is also not maintenance free; this system can only operate if the batteries in the animal's collar are properly working. Finally underground fencing is not effectively accepted by every animal. Some pets become too afraid to wander into their yards out of fear of being shocked.^[3] If a pet is afraid to leave the yard it is usually a training issue. In August 2018 the British Government announced that all containment fences should be professionally installed to ensure the safety and security of both cats and dogs.

Electronic fences may not prevent dog bite incidents because children or other persons may still be able to approach dogs or other animals that are confined by such a fence, and the fence may cause the behavior of a confined animal to appear better than it actually is. Also, an electronic fence becomes ineffective if an animal crosses a boundary while in a state of excitement.^[4]

Upsides

Underground fences can be used on terrains or properties where it is not possible to traditionally fence. Modern systems are also suitable for cats and each year hundreds of thousands of cats go missing and are either killed or injured on the road. The underground fence can be used to secure driveways and open areas. Since the innovation of new training protocols for cats the underground fence has become a viable option for cat owners as well.

A 2016 University of Lincoln study that looked at the use of cat containment using electronic fences found "no evidence of long-term welfare problems with electronic containment of cats".^[5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fence</span> Freestanding structure preventing movement across a boundary

A fence is a structure that encloses an area, typically outdoors, and is usually constructed from posts that are connected by boards, wire, rails or netting. A fence differs from a wall in not having a solid foundation along its whole length.

A leash is a rope or similar material used to control an animal by attaching it to a collar, harness, or halter. In British English, a leash is generally for a larger animal, with lead being more commonly used when walking a dog.

Dog training is a kind of animal training, the application of behavior analysis which uses the environmental events of antecedents and consequences to modify the dog behavior, either for it to assist in specific activities or undertake particular tasks, or for it to participate effectively in contemporary domestic life. While training dogs for specific roles dates back to Roman times at least, the training of dogs to be compatible household pets developed with suburbanization in the 1950s.

A dog collar is a piece of material put around the neck of a dog. A collar may be used for restraint, identification, fashion, protection, or training. Identification tags and medical information are often placed on dog collars. Collars are often used in conjunction with a leash for restraining a dog. Collars can be traumatic to the trachea if the dog pulls against the restraint of the leash, causing severe pressure to the neck. Use of a harness instead of a collar may be beneficial for dogs prone to tracheitis or those with a collapsed trachea. Conversely, dog breeds with slender necks or smaller heads may easily slip out of collars that are too loose. This can be avoided by using a martingale dog collar which tightens to distribute pressure around the neck when training the dog not to pull. Any style of dog collar must be properly fitted to ensure safety and collars should not be worn when the dog is unattended.

A bark is a sound most often produced by dogs. Other animals that make this noise include, but are not limited to, wolves, coyotes, foxes, seals, frogs, and barking owls. "Bark" is also a verb that describes the sound of many canids.

Devocalization is a surgical procedure where tissue is removed from the vocal cords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric fence</span> Shock barrier to contain animals or people

An electric fence is a barrier that uses electric shocks to deter people and other animals from crossing a boundary. The voltage of the shock may have effects ranging from discomfort to death. Most electric fences are used for agricultural fencing and other forms of non-human animal control, although they are also used to protect high-security areas such as military installations or prisons, where potentially-lethal voltages may be used. Virtual electric fences for livestock using GPS technology have also been developed.

Remote control animals are animals that are controlled remotely by humans. Some applications require electrodes to be implanted in the animal's nervous system connected to a receiver which is usually carried on the animal's back. The animals are controlled by the use of radio signals. The electrodes do not move the animal directly, as if controlling a robot; rather, they signal a direction or action desired by the human operator and then stimulate the animal's reward centres if the animal complies. These are sometimes called bio-robots or robo-animals. They can be considered to be cyborgs as they combine electronic devices with an organic life form and hence are sometimes also called cyborg-animals or cyborg-insects.

An animal collar is a device that attaches to the neck of an animal to allow it to be harnessed or restrained.

A pet door or pet flap is a small opening to allow pets to enter and exit a building on their own without needing a human to open the door. Originally simple holes, the modern form is a hinged and often spring-loaded panel or flexible flap, and some are electronically controlled. They offer a degree of protection against wind, rain, and larger-bodied intruders entering the dwelling. Similar hatches can let dogs through fences at stiles. A related concept is the pet gate, which is easy for humans to open but acts as a secure pet barrier.

An avoidance response is a response that prevents an aversive stimulus from occurring. It is a kind of negative reinforcement. An avoidance response is a behavior based on the concept that animals will avoid performing behaviors that result in an aversive outcome. This can involve learning through operant conditioning when it is used as a training technique. It is a reaction to undesirable sensations or feedback that leads to avoiding the behavior that is followed by this unpleasant or fear-inducing stimulus.

An animal repellent consists of any object or method made with the intention of keeping animals away from personal items as well as food, plants or yourself. Plants and other living organisms naturally possess a special ability to emit chemicals known as semiochemicals as a way to defend themselves from predators. Humans purposely make use of some of those and create a way to repel animals through various forms of protection.

Growling is a low, guttural vocalization produced by animals as an aggressive warning but can also be found in other contexts such as playful behaviors or mating. Different animals will use growling in specific contexts as a form of communication. In humans, low or dull rumbling noises may also be emitted when they are discontent with something or they are angry, although this human sound is often termed "groaning" & "grunting".

GPS animal tracking is a process whereby biologists, scientific researchers, or conservation agencies can remotely observe relatively fine-scale movement or migratory patterns in a free-ranging wild animal using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and optional environmental sensors or automated data-retrieval technologies such as Argos satellite uplink, mobile data telephony or GPRS and a range of analytical software tools.

A shock collar or remote training collar, also known as an e-collar, Ecollar, or electronic collar, is a type of training collar that delivers shocks to the neck of a dog to change behavior. These collars incorporate a radio-controlled electronic device and are worn around the dog's neck. Many European and South American countries view shock collars as animal cruelty and have banned their use. The mechanism behind shock collars involve inflicting varying levels and duration of pain, which generates fear and serves as a deterrent for undesirable behaviors. Some models of shock collar models offer additional features such as a tone or vibrational setting that can be used as an alternative or in combination with the shock. Certain advanced collars include Internet mapping capabilities and GPS functionality to track the dog's location or notify the owner about its whereabouts.

A pen is an enclosure for holding livestock. It may also perhaps be used as a term for an enclosure for other animals such as pets that are unwanted inside the house. The term describes types of enclosures that may confine one or many animals. Construction and terminology vary depending on the region of the world, purpose, animal species to be confined, local materials used and tradition. Pen or penning as a verb refers to the act of confining animals in an enclosure.

Invisible Fence Inc. is a company that designs radio pet fences for cats and dogs. Manufactured and distributed by Radio System Corporation, the company sells wireless and fenceless systems that were first introduced in 1973. Its best-known product consists of an underground wire and a collar with an integrated transmitter that provides a signal to the pet when it approaches the perimeter.

Calming signals is a term conceived by Norwegian dog trainer and canine ethologist, Turid Rugaas, to describe the patterns of behavior used by dogs interacting with each other in environments that cause heightened stress and when conveying their desires or intentions. The term has been used interchangeably with "appeasement signals." Calming signals, or appeasement signals, are communicative cues used by dogs to de-escalate aggressive encounters or to prevent the development of aggressive encounters completely. Calming signals are performed by one dog and directed towards one or more individual(s), which could be dogs or individuals of other species, such as humans. When calming signals are ignored, a dog may display warning signals of aggression, and this has the potential to escalate to outright conflict between individuals.

Tractive develops and sells GPS & Health trackers for dogs and cats that enable pet owners to view their pet's real-time location, receive Health Alerts, and monitor activity and sleep patterns via a smartphone app. Tractive tracks around 1,000,000 pets in over 175 countries worldwide using GPS and GSM technology.

Nofence is a Norwegian company that makes GPS collars for farm animals that discourage them from crossing virtual fences.

References

1 2 Whittman, Bob. "Stay The Late Richard Peck's Invisible Fence Keeps Pets Confined". The Morning Call. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
1 2 Tracking animals with GPS (PDF). Aberdeen Scotland: Macaulay Institute. 2001. p. 86. ISBN 9780708406434.
1 2 Marder, Amy (1994). Your healthy pet : a practical guide to choosing and raising happier, healthier dogs and cats . Rodale Press. ISBN 0875961851.
↑ Phillips, Kenneth (2006-12-05). "DOG BITE LAW - Electronic Pet Containment and Liability for Dog Bites" . Retrieved 2010-10-24.
↑ Lincoln, University of. "No evidence of long-term welfare problems with electronic containment of cats". University of Lincoln Press Office. Retrieved 2018-09-10.

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[whitma-1] 1 2 Whittman, Bob. "Stay The Late Richard Peck's Invisible Fence Keeps Pets Confined". The Morning Call. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved 13 July 2015.

[tracking-2] 1 2 Tracking animals with GPS (PDF). Aberdeen Scotland: Macaulay Institute. 2001. p. 86. ISBN 9780708406434.

[healthypet-3] 1 2 Marder, Amy (1994). Your healthy pet : a practical guide to choosing and raising happier, healthier dogs and cats . Rodale Press. ISBN 0875961851.

[kenneth_phillips_electronic_containment-4] Phillips, Kenneth (2006-12-05). "DOG BITE LAW - Electronic Pet Containment and Liability for Dog Bites" . Retrieved 2010-10-24.

[5] Lincoln, University of. "No evidence of long-term welfare problems with electronic containment of cats". University of Lincoln Press Office. Retrieved 2018-09-10.

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