In 2007, Cambridge physicist Dr Nick Hill experienced the unpleasant consequences of unwanted neighbourhood cats entering his home, so he set out to find a solution. He knew his cat Flipper wouldn’t want to wear a collar, so he developed a revolutionary technology that uses a cat’s existing microchip like an electronic door key, giving Flipper exclusive access to his home and leaving intruder animals at the door. Sure Petcare’s first product, the SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap, was launched in 2008. Since then, other doors have been added to the range with features such as DualScan™ technology for multi-pet homes, a curfew mode and a larger size door for small dogs. They have also developed a SureFeed range of products, including the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder, which stops pets stealing each others’ food.
Sure Petcare’s connected range of products are app-controlled, enabling owners to stay connected with their pet from anywhere, as well as monitor any changes in feeding behaviour or activity, which could indicate illness or distress. Owners can share app access with their pet sitter while they are on holiday, allowing the sitter to provide a greater level of care while the owner is away. Owners can also access the app while they are away, giving them peace of mind that their pet is behaving as normal in their absence.
The SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap Connect and the SureFlap Microchip Pet Door Connect give owners an insight into their pet’s comings and goings and includes remote locking so that the door can be locked or unlocked from anywhere. The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect, with integrated scales for accurate food portioning, enables owners to view how much and how often their pet eats, making it ideal for weight management and specialist diets. These connected products link to the Sure Petcare app via a Hub. Up to ten devices can be connected to one Hub, enabling owners to view the data from multiple products all in one place.
Sure Petcare also has a product designed specifically for dogs. The Animo activity and behaviour monitor is a lightweight, collar-mounted device, which identifies changes in sleep quality and highlights increases in barking, scratching or shaking, all of which could be a sign of discomfort or illness. Animo is designed to be a lifelong addition to a dog’s care, incorporating an adaptive algorithm to meet the changing needs of the dog as it gets older.