If the Live button seems to hang, or you get an error instead of a session, don't worry — this is usually easy to fix. Most of the time the tracker is simply taking its time waking up.
Jump to:
- How long is normal?
- Signal warning banners
- Error messages and what to do
- Things to try
- If it still doesn't work
How long is normal?
Starting a LIVE session isn't instant — the app has to reach the tracker, and the tracker has to find network and satellites. In practice the tracker answers in about one to two minutes. The app shows Starting live tracking… for up to three minutes, then stops waiting on screen and keeps retrying quietly in the background.
The chip at the top of the map tells you which step it's on:
| Chip | What it means |
|---|---|
| Contacting tracker… | The request is on its way |
| Waiting for network… / No network — retrying… | The tracker can't reach the mobile network where your pet is |
| Searching for GPS… / GPS not found — retrying… | The tracker has network but no satellite fix yet |
| Retrying… | Trying again |
Signal warning banners
If the tracker keeps struggling, after about 90 seconds a pinned banner appears:
| Banner | What it says |
|---|---|
| Weak GPS signal | "Tracker's GPS signal is weak — it will update the location as soon as it gets a fix." |
| Weak network signal | "Tracker is struggling to find network signal — this may delay location updates." |
| Signal trouble | Both at once. |
| In a power-saving zone | "Tracker is in a power-saving zone — it will respond when your pet leaves the zone." |
One more banner doesn't wait for that 90 seconds — it appears straight away and stays for as long as the state lasts:
- Battery low — "Tracker battery low — using your phone's location."
Error messages and what to do
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| "The tracker is unreachable…" or "The GPS tracker is offline. Please try again when it is back online." | The tracker is offline. Check it's charged and switched on — the app waits about 10 seconds for it to come online before giving up. |
| "A walk is in progress for this tracker." | Stop the walk first, then start LIVE Tracking. |
| "Live tracking isn't available while the tracker's battery is low." | Charge the tracker. |
| "We couldn't find the tracker. Please refresh and try again." | Pull to refresh the map and retry. |
| "We couldn't send the live tracking request. Check your connection and try again." | Check your phone's internet connection. |
| "Your session has expired. Please log in again." | Sign back in to the Ask A Vet app. |
Things to try
- Get your pet under open sky — GPS struggles indoors and under dense tree cover.
- Check mobile coverage where your pet is; the tracker needs a network to receive the request.
- Charge the tracker — a low battery blocks LIVE Tracking entirely.
- Start it from close by. With no mobile signal but your pet within Bluetooth range, LIVE Tracking starts immediately using your phone's location.
- Check for an outstanding payment for an extra tracker slot — the map sends you to the payment step first.
If it still doesn't work
If the tracker has good battery and coverage and still never starts a session, get in touch with support [CONFIRM: support contact channel and address].
Related articles