One thing that all pet owners have in common is that they’re curious as to what their animals do when no one’s around. Of course, you’ll never know for sure what your pets do in those situations — unless you have a camera on them, that is.
It can be difficult to teach your pet how to become a talented cinematographer, though. That’s why you need special equipment if you want to see what happens in your home while you’re at work.
The pet collar cameras and accessories on this list are all specially designed to work on animals, so they’ll give you the best performance that you’ll find anywhere.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
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Best Overall
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Uncle Milton Pet's Eye View Camera |
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Best Value
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Puhui Digital Pet Collar Cam Camera |
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Premium Choice
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Facamword Spy Camera |
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DOGTEK Eyenimal Video Camera |
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MHDYT Mini Spy Camera |
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The 5 Best Pet Collar Cameras & Accessories
1. Uncle Milton Pet’s Eye View Camera — Best Overall
While you might think that a pet collar camera is just a funny gimmick, the Uncle Milton Pet’s Eye View is so good, you may just start using it for your family photos as well.
It offers 640 x 480 resolution, which it then converts into 4” x 6” prints. These tiny little pictures are great for plastering on your fridge or even tucking inside your wallet.
You can set the camera up to take pictures in intervals of 1, 5, or 15 minutes, giving you plenty of control over how much of your pet’s day you capture. The camera can store 40 pictures, giving you plenty of options at the end of the day.
The package comes with a USB cable to allow you to upload your favorite pics, and it’s compatible with both Macs and PCs. When all is said and done, you’ll have tons of pictures on your hard drive.
The camera itself is quite large, though, and it may overwhelm smaller pets. It’s probably best-suited for larger animals who are less likely to notice it bouncing around on their necks.
If you want the inside scoop on what your pet is up to all day, you can’t beat Uncle Milton’s Pet’s Eye View. It will provide you with all the great pics that you never knew you were missing.
2. Puhui Digital Pet Collar Cam Camera — Best Value
If you want an option that’s capable of taking both pictures and video, the Puhui Digital is a good choice. It even captures audio, so you can finally discover if your pet talks to themselves while you’re gone.
It has an internal DVR for storing all the images that it captures, and the memory ranges from 1 GB to 32 GB. The images it captures are quite crisp, as it can take pictures at 1280 x 1024 resolution.
Surprisingly enough, you get all this at a very favorable price, as this is the best pet collar camera and accessory for the money.
However, the image quality is dependent on the light quality, so you’ll probably have a few pictures that aren’t usable. It’s also fairly complicated to use and the included directions aren’t much help.
If you want a versatile and impressive camera that won’t break the bank, the Puhui Digital is the way to go. It’s just a little too touchy to earn the top spot on this list.
3. Facamword Spy Camera — Premium Choice
You have choices when it comes to placing the Facamword Spy Camera, as it can be mounted anywhere in your house instead of merely attached to your pet’s collar.
It can capture video in 1080p, or you can simply take crystal-clear pictures. The camera also boasts a powerful infrared light that allows you to record in the dark, so you can finally determine which of your pets is going counter-surfing after everyone’s asleep.
The battery lasts long enough to record 3 hours’ worth of video, but if you keep it plugged in, it can film around the clock. You can even view the feed remotely via the manufacturer’s phone app. The app is fairly glitchy, though, so you shouldn’t rely on it too much.
This is an expensive device, so it may not be worth it if you’re just looking for a few laughs. If you’re serious about watching your dog, though, the Facamword Spy Camera is an excellent option.
4. DOGTEK Eyenimal Video Camera
The DOGTEK Eyenimal only captures video and it does so in 736 x 480 resolution. That’s good, not great, but if you’re not a tech geek, you may not care about the average quality.
You’ll have two recording modes to choose from: one that runs continuously and the other that only activates when it detects movement. The rechargeable battery will give you about 2.5 hours of recording time.
It works reasonably well at night too, as its infrared camera can peer about 7 feet ahead of your pet.
However, it’s lightweight, which means it bounces around quite a bit while your pet walks. Much of the footage you get will be unusable as a result.
It’s also not that durable, so if your pet likes to get into misadventures, it won’t be long until the thing breaks. Still, it should be fun while it lasts.
The DOGTEK Eyenimal is a decent option if you want video of your pet’s activities, but it isn’t as durable or versatile as some of the other options on this list.
5. MHDYT Mini Spy Camera
You may have to make a few modifications if you want to attach this to your pet’s collar, but the MHDYT Mini Spy is an extremely small camera that manages to capture stunning images.
It takes video in full 1920 x 1080p HD and has an excellent infrared camera for use in low-light conditions.
The battery life isn’t great, though, as it will only last an hour on a single charge. It also only records when it detects movement, but it’s not great at doing that, so you won’t get as much content as you might like.
It’s fairly fragile too, so be careful where you put it. It performs best in natural light, so if you have a strictly indoor pet, you may end up with grainy footage.
The MHDYT Mini Spy is a decent option, but it has a few flaws that limit its usefulness for keeping tabs on your pet.
Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Pet Collar Camera
Buying a pet camera is something that you may never have thought you’d do, but owning lovable animals makes us do strange things. Chances are, though, that you’re not exactly sure what to look for; after all, this isn’t something you buy every day.
In the guide below, we’ll walk you through the questions that you’ll need to ask yourself before you make a purchase so you can be certain to buy one that works for you.
What Should I Look For in a Pet Camera?
This will depend on what you’re hoping your pet camera will do. There are a few things that you’ll likely want in any camera that you buy.
Good image quality is probably the most important consideration. After all, your money will be wasted if all you have to show for it is a bunch of grainy, unrecognizable photographs or blurry videos.
The image quality is often dependent on the size of the camera. This isn’t due to any technological considerations, but rather how well the camera will stay in place once attached to your pet. Of course, larger cameras will also put more weight on your pet, so it’s a game of give-and-take.
You’ll have to decide whether you want one that strictly takes still photographs, one that takes video, or one that can do both. If you get one that takes video, you’ll need to figure out whether you’d be interested in capturing audio as well. This likely goes without saying, but the more that the camera can do, the more that it will cost you.
Finally, consider the durability of the unit. Your pet likely isn’t going to be careful with it, so it will need to be able to survive bumps and scrapes.
Why Do I Need a Pet Camera, Anyway?
Chances are, you don’t need one. However, they’re fun to have, so owning one can enrich your life in all sorts of unforeseen ways.
The biggest reason that many people buy these is to simply see what their pets do while they’re gone. Of course, in many cases, that means tons of footage of your dog napping or your cat licking themselves, but sometimes, you catch real gold.
In some cases, you can also use these cameras to solve mysteries. For example, if you have multiple pets at home but are not sure which one is jumping on the counter to forage for food, having a camera attached to one of the animals will allow you to find the culprit.
Some cameras allow you to livestream footage, which can come in handy if your pet is an escape artist or you live in a rough neighborhood. You’ll always have eyes on both your pet and your home, so you can spring into action immediately if something goes wrong.
Ultimately, some people just enjoy seeing the world the way that their pet sees it. You can learn so much about your best friend this way, as you can see what captures their interest during the course of the day.
Will These Work on Any Pet?
Most of these cameras are designed to be attached to a collar, so as long as you can get a collar on your pet, you should be fine. However, be mindful of the camera’s size, as you don’t want to burden a tiny pet.
Most of these cameras can also be put on stands or mounted, though, so you may still be able to watch your turtle or iguana while you’re out and about.
Conclusion
Our favorite camera is the Uncle Milton Pet’s Eye View, as it’s an easy-to-use model that captures wonderful, fun images. If you want a no-frills option that will give you memorable pictures, it’s hard to beat.
If you want a high-quality budget option, consider the Puhui Digital. It captures excellent photos and videos, and it even does a good job of getting you usable audio.
If you’re curious as to what your pets do when no one’s watching, finding a good pet camera will give you the best odds of finding out. Hopefully, these reviews have made it easier for you to find one that you can trust — because you need good images to use as evidence when it’s time to prove which pet has been using your shoes as a bathroom.
- Related read: 7 Best Cat GPS Trackers in the UK
