NEW BUSINESS ON THE STREET: `INVISIBLE FENCE'

Thousands of pets play and stay in their yards without fences.

Although the "invisible fence" idea was developed for dogs more than two decades ago, the concept works for other animals -- cats, goats and sheep, says Joe Sherinski, who recently acquired the franchise for Invisible Fencing Pet Containment in the immediate area.

The system works for pets of all types in all kinds of situations, said Sherinski.

The idea is simple.

A transmitter in a garage or basement transmits a radio signal through an antenna wire buried around the edge of your property. The wire sends a signal to a small computer worn on the animal's collar, warning the pet to remain inside the antenna wires.

The idea was developed in 1973 by Richard Peck, a dog lover and inventor in Pennsylvania.

The invisible fence was used in the Philadelphia area the first half-dozen years, until dealerships were established in the early 1980s. More than 350 dealerships are now in existence.

Sherinski, a landscaper and gardening expert, known as "Mr. Goodgarden" on a number of television stations in the Midwest, said the new business would go "hand-in-hand" with his landscaping business.

Sherinski, before installing the invisible fence system, visits with the homeowner's pet and gets to know the pet. "This helps in the training," said Sherinski. "Each dog has a different personality, different instincts and behavior pattern."