The robo-dogs and robo-cats are made by Ageless Innovation and marketed to seniors with the motto, “No vet bills, just love.” The animals are available for purchase for $99.99 to $119.99. They have built-in sensors that respond to touch and motion, and the cats take a “nap” after repeated petting. The dogs respond to sounds and even have a heartbeat. “They bark, they nuzzle,” says Cortés-Vázquez. They’re “a wonderful way to replace that same gratification and tenderness and joy that you once had with your pets.”
Buddy reminds Minggia of her beloved cocker spaniel, Honey, whom she had to give to her sister when she moved to NYC to care for her aunt. Minggia hopes to get a real dog again at some point, but, given that she has numerous ailments of her own, including a rare autoimmune disease and a recent lung cancer diagnosis, Buddy is a great, low-maintenance substitute. “You know there’s mechanics in the center of him, so he’s not squishy,” she says. But “I don’t have to clean up after him, I don’t have to walk him. He brings me joy.”