[Image: Pexels]
A lot of people, when they have some downtime to kill, turn on their streaming service and binge-watch some series. Some even go down YouTube rabbit holes, with tons of content available on the world’s biggest video-sharing platform. This led one tech giant in China – a nation where 66% of surveyed dog owners say they leave the TV on for their pets when they go out – to have a brainwave: Our pets spend a lot of time alone with little to do when their owners are at work, so why not create a streaming channel just for them? And this is how PetTV was born.
PetTV, which was the brainchild of Chinese tech company Tencent Video, launched this month, and is a 24-hour streaming service designed specifically to keep pets engaged and entertained. Because why shouldn’t our animals also be addicted to screens?
According to Tencent, the channel has been designed to be a “happiness hub” for pets that features visual sequences and soothing audio tailored to animal senses and meant to reduce anxiety and prevent boredom while owners are away. There is a “relaxation” series and a “stimulation” series, and the scientific design features animal-friendly colours and sounds. Nothing is random, and everything is carefully curated for the enjoyment of your four-legged friends.
Last weekend, the launch of PetTV was announced on the messaging service, WeChat, in an announcement that explained that dogs’ and cats’ senses are different from humans’, so the channel’s colours, refresh rates and audio frequencies have been designed to suit their specific needs. This channel is available to paying Tencent Video subscribers.
Of course, you don’t need to be a subscriber or live in China to find this type of content online. One search on YouTube will bring up plenty of channels and videos with soothing music to leave on for your animals when you are not there to provide them with the companionship they so desperately crave.
While our pets can’t tell us if this content works or not, at least it gives human owners some peace of mind when they shut the door on those puppy dog eyes that their animals won’t miss them too much.
[Source: IOL]
