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What new tech is allowing pet owners to more confidently leave their furry friends home alone?

Answer: an interactive fetching machine

Apparently you no longer need to turn on a movie or leave the radio playing for your pet when you leave home in the morning.

The iFetch Interactive Ball Launcher launches tennis balls for pets to fetch as many times as they want. The only trick is teaching them to return the ball by dropping it back into the top of the machine.

A family in Texas invented the iFetch to keep Prancer, their hyperactive poodle, entertained even when there’s no one home. There is a mini version for smaller dogs, in addition to the full size. And with the winter season drawing nearer, this machine may also be ideal for replacing walks in nasty weather.

Kate is a senior copy editor in Northern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in professional writing from the University of California, Davis.