Does your pet carry identification?
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You carry identification with you wherever you travel; our pets need the same protection. Even the cat that never goes outdoors can slip outside when a door is left open, and when scared, can get lost so easily. A frightened dog, even well trained, can panic and run away in an emergency or traumatic situation.
How can we protect our pets and help them find a way back home?
• Tags on their collar is the first step – these should include your phone number plus a back-up phone number
• Your phone number embroidered onto a collar
• A city dog license means your contact information is registered with the city if they are found
• Some owners have their pet tattooed when they are being spayed, neutered or other surgery
• Many shelter/rescue animals are micro-chipped prior to adoption; your vet may also micro-chip.
But what happens when their collar is snagged and comes off, or the tag is so worn that it is hard to read? They now have no form of identification, and your chance of finding your lost pet has dropped drastically. The majority of lost and stray pets that enter shelters have no form of ID and most of them never get reunited with their family.
This percent can be reversed with the insertion of a very small microchip under the skin of your pet. Shelters and veterinary offices can quickly insert a microchip between the shoulder blades of the pet. This can be read by a universal scanner – like reading a bar code at the grocery store. This process takes seconds, but can save a life. Microchips are responsible for thousands of pets being reunited with their families.
On the other side is the fact that microchips or a tattoo are only as useful as the information they carry. Be sure to check tags and your microchip to ensure that your contact information, including phone numbers, is up to date.
Celebrate National Pet ID week with a microchip.
For more information contact your local shelter or veterinarian.
