Design of an automatic meal-sispenser for household dogs

Abstract

Pet popularity has increased in recent years. Predominant among these pets are dogs, and they serve as a means of companionship and security. These domesticated dogs have become key members of numberous familiers, both locally and globally. It is estimated that about 95% of dog owners, consider their pets a member of the family. This statement is appreciated when one considers the extensive care and attention, given to these furry creatures. Averagely, dogs must be fed twice a day - although a three-square meal is equally a great option. In 2020, Americans collectively spent $38.4 billion on dog food - a testament to the lengths people will go, to ensure optimum pet nourishment. Pets must also be given monthly tablets to fight off worms, ticks, and certain susceptive infections. It is worth nothing that the time spent for these activities are multiplied by the number of dogs a keeper has. The time owners spend in: feeding, replacing water, and other complications (tolerating a pet that is uneager to take their medication), could be drastically reduced. Today the obsolete pet-food disensrs on the market, lack a proper preservation system. In this project, an automatic meal-spenser was designed and built. This essentially: dispensed food to dogs with voice command/button control, it also provided dogs with water, and finally, sneaked drugs into their meals - at preset times. Moreover, the automated sysem was coupled with online monitoring software - Gmail notifier being one of the them. Hence, users could monitor pet's food and water levels. This will free up owners' time, and further decrease the likelihood of starving pets. The product offers versatility and satisfaction for keepers and their dogs, an idea that was worth exploring.