Mobile phone company Orange has teamed up with a company called Retrieva to launch a new phone-based tracking product for dogs. Ah, I get it now... Retrieva/ retriever.

Retrieva and Orange will offer poo-bag-and-treats-carrying dog owners the chance to buy a collar for their dog that works as both a tracking and anti-theft device.

Apparently some 2,500 dogs go missing each week, so to try and stem the doggy exodus the two firms have launched the Retrieva collar which tracks the dog through your mobile phone. Sounds like a good idea, so long as the mobile phone isn't already one of the things that the dog has either chewed to pieces or buried in some awkward place.

If you have managed to keep hold of your phone, but not your dog, all you need do is open up a mapping application on the device and request information about the collar. This, combined with GPS functionality, can both find the dog, and plan your route to it. Should anyone try to tamper with the collar, like the dog for example, an alert that presumably tells you to throw a slipper in the dog's direction, will be sent to your phone and you can fly into action.

Judging by the photos, the collar will also act as a warning to other dogs not to mess with the wearer. It looks like it might explode, or could be used to power some kind of warrior cyber dog. And that is one beast that no one would want to have to clean up after.

The system which is eagerly awaited - according to the makers - will cost £9.99 per month and has a one-off charge of £250 for the collar and mapping/tracking system.

03 Dec 2008