Nothing can put a grip on your heart faster than a pet that has gone missing! I remember about a year ago, we were out doing a lot of yard work. It was a cleanup after a storm and a lot of LOUD yard equipment was being used. It scared Maggie so bad so that she dashed out of the yard and was gone. When I realized she was missing, panic set in! We searched the yard, the woods, and drove up and down the road. The longer we looked without finding her, the more unglued I was becoming! The one thought I kept hanging onto was the fact she was wearing several forms of pet identification.
You may call me paranoid all you want for the multiple forms of pet id’s on my dogs, but Maggie’s pet identification tags helped reunite me with my beautiful girl within a couple of hours! When she appeared in the back yard of some neighbors down the road, they were able to read her name, my name, and my phone number. Believe me when I say – that was the most welcome phone I have ever received!
Pet identification is, just as the title said, a major part of pet safety. We give our animals their preventative, and we take them in for their checkups, but do we have a way to track them if they escape or get lost? All the love in the world won’t give us a radar sense of where our wayward furbabies have gotten off to should they dash off to the unknown. That’s why pet identification is so key in pet safety.
Pet Identification – Why it’s so Important
The ability to quickly and easily have our pets identified is a key role in pet safety because that’s the only way we’ll get them back. If they bolt for any reason, the chances of getting them back into our loving arms if they don’t have one or more forms of pet identification on their bodies is very, very slim. No one knows who that random dog is they just found and without any pet identification, there’s no way for them to find out. This means our beloved family members will be headed straight for the pound. That is a scary thought.
Pets Run More than you Think
Pet identification is a must because pets bolt more than you’d think. This is especially true if you have a fearful dog. All they can think about is getting away from whatever is frightening them, so it stands to reason that there’s a high likelihood that when you open up the car door to go into the vet, groomer, or other place that your dog or cat is terrified of, they could shoot out like a rocket and be well on their way to Lost Town. This holds true for times of particular stress like fireworks, thunder, etc. In these moments, your pet may actually leave the safety of your home because he’s crazy with fear.
A leisurely walk, or fun hiking trip, can also turn into a nightmare! If a dog breaks his leash due to either fear, aggression, or wanting to chase another small creature, they could be lost in a matter of minutes depending on the location and how determined your dog is. In that case, you’ll be glad you had pet identification on your dog.
High Risk Times for Losing:
- Transporting pets to and from vets, groomers, shelters, and the like.
- Opening doors during times of stressful sounds like fireworks, thunderstorms, and the like
- Opening doors when loud guests such as children are around a high strung pet
Types of Pet Identification
There are two major types of pet identification that are most commonly used today. It’s recommended that owners use these in conjunction with one another to ensure that if their pet is lost, they’ll be able to get home again soon.
Tags
The old stand-by. Tags have been around for as long as I can remember, and they’re the standard for figuring out who a pet belongs to. Don’t make the mistake of ONLY putting your pet’s rabies tags on his collar. While it is possible to track the owner down from that, it is very difficult. The vet’s office listed on the rabies tag would need to search their computer system for the tag number to find owner information – not an easy feat. Even then, a person would have to wait on office hours and someone to do the search. It makes it so much easier, and quicker, when your pet’s collar has an identification tag with his name and your pertinent phone numbers on it.
Digital Pet Id Tags
In addition to regular name tags, we LOVE Digital pet ID tags like those you can get from Pet Hub! With these tags, anyone with a phone can scan the tag and view your pet’s profile. They would then have access to the information you listed such as your phone number and other trusted numbers you have listed in order to contact you. This, in turn, can get your 4-legged friend home safely in your arms QUICKLY! PetHub also includes a human-staffed 24×7 “Found Pet Hotline” which comes free with their Basic service! YES! A real human!
Microchips
Microchips have become almost as standard as tags, and there’s a reason for that. They work. Microchips are easily placed under the skin of your dog or cat (usually between the shoulder blades), and they make it incredibly easy to figure out who a lost animals belongs to. If a pet is found, the person simply needs to take them to a local vet or shelter (again they would need to wait on office hours), where the pet will be scanned for a microchip. The microchip number is entered into a database, and the owner’s information pops right up.
Microchipping your pet is a simple and easy procedure that takes only seconds. But, please remember that a microchip must be registered to the owner with all of the owners information if it’s going to be of any use. An UNregistered microchip isn’t much help to you or your pet.
Lessen the Need for Pet Identification
It’s important to have adequate pet identification on your 4-legged friend at all times, but it’s also important to lessen the likelihood that you’ll need to use it. Here are a few tips to help lessen the chance of needing to use pet identification.
- Always transport cats in carriers
- Always leash your dog before opening the door of your home or car
- Make sure all leashes and collars/harnesses are in good condition and replace any that are worn. Make sure the fit is proper and they cannot slip them!
- Separate high strung animals from large groups of visitors in the home
Pet Identification Saves Heartbreak
While I told you about my scary experience with Maggie, I have also been in the position to help three little lost beagles back to their owner. Living in a rural area, we have a lot of hunters in the woods around our home. The young beagles were being trained to hunt. And, as young dog do, something caught their interest and they took off after it. They ended up lost and in my back yard.
However, all three were wearing a collar with a brass tag embedded right into it. Once I scooped the little love bugs up, I was able to read their owner’s name and phone number. He wasn’t far away, but had been searching the woods for them. When they saw their owner, their tails went to wagging ninety-to-nothing! It was a happy reunion. But, I hate to think what could have happened if either Maggie or the little beagles didn’t have pet identification!
Pet identification is a crucial part of pet safety. We do everything we can to keep our pets safe, happy, healthy, and where they belong. In the event that they manage to escape, pet identification is just about the only way we’ll ever see our little guys again. So be sure to use collars, tags and microchips on your pets to ensure that they’re safe and sound no matter what.
Has your pet ever gotten lost? Have you ever found a lost pet and needed to find their owner? We would love to hear your story in the comments!
How scary. I’m glad you found Maggie quickly. Gretel slipped out of a gap in our gate soon after we adopted her. As soon as I realized she wasn’t in the back yard, my heart sank. She wasn’t wearing any ID at all! I had been running around the yard frantically calling her name but switched gears and started getting ready to canvas the neighborhood. Then I heard a high-pitched chirp. I opened the gate to, luckily, find her standing there. She heard me calling for her but couldn’t get back in the gate. She was as freaked out by that as I was when I thought I might never find her again.
Oh my goodness! That would have freaked me out too! It is really a gut wrenching thing when you realize they are gone 🙁 Luckily Gretel came home and wasn’t harmed or picked up by someone.
We always try to stop if we can and have returned several escapees back to their pet parents. I always try to keep in mind I’d want someone to do the same if my babies were lost!
Good information, I like the new tags that can be read with a smart phone. Maggie is a beautiful dog, and I can see why you panicked I’m glad you got her home.
pet identification is so very important. we love our dog so much that if she got lost the good feeling of knowing she can be identified and found quickly is such a relief. Great tips in your review for anyone with any type of pet.
I am so happy that your baby was unharmed and back with you safely. It is so important to have some kind of pet identification! My guys are all micro chipped. The cats stay indoors only at all times and my dog, Toby Tangles, only goes outside to do her business with me out there with her. I try very hard to protect my babies, too.
Happy you got Maggie back.Thanks for all the information and tips.
Both of my dogs have a chip. I can’t even imagine if they got lost
I agree, pet identification is definitely important!! We use tags and a microchip, that way we feel better about being able to find our sweetheart if she ever gets lost.
Our pups don’t have id tags at the moment because they don’t usually wear a collar since they bite each others collar and I am scared of them strangling each other but both are microchipped. And I have returned many people dogs because I am a magnet for loose dogs and they come to my house when they get out again because i give them treats to get them to stay.
So incredibly important to chip and tag your pets!
my 3e gals all have tags on their collars, only my oldest is microchipped. all 3 dogs are registered with the AKC as well and have more than one id. i always carry extra collars and leashes in case one breaks. i worry abt the microchips b/c some dont always show up. i know they are better than they used to be. however, some places still do not have the ones that id all microchips.
I agree! I am so paranoid that mine always have multiple forms of ID on!
These are really good tips. Taking current photos of your dog for identification too
Very true and always good to have on hand!
This is all great information! We don’t have dogs, we have cats, but the farthest they go is the basement or the porch and then scurry back in. It’s so sad with how many lost dogs are posted to local Facebook groups, I know it happens and I know there are not so honest people (lost dogs are literally being sold!).
So very true and it’s always gut-wrenching to see the stories 🙁
Well-written – couldn’t agree more.
as a matter of fact I found my dog on the side of the road. Of course I call him a rescue dog. I took Benji to Banfield and found out he was malnourished, had a broken jaw and his ribs were broke. Could you tell me how much a micro chip cost. I really would love to get him one. He wears his id tags and his dog vaccinations from the vet. I just don’t want that to happen to him again. Either he wandered off or his owners abused him. The vet said he didn’t have a microchip, so now he is mine. I love him so much. I have had him over a year and I can’t see my boring life without him. I smile just thinking about him.
I am sure it is different at every vet’s office, but at my vet’s the average cost is around $50 (or at least it was when I had it done). I definitely would invest in it for Benji!
I always try to find the owner if I see a lost dog. Have taken them to the vet to be scanned before also.
dog tags are sooo important.love ur site.keep on posting
I agree and thanks so much!
I so agree. I had a 15 year old dog that escaped the back yard when a gate blew open and was so relieved when I got a call that he had been found sleeping in a neighbors front yard.
i dont think i could take it any of my 3 gals got lost. i remember several times looking for over 8 hrs when the oldest went missing. but come to find out a neighbor had her and would not let her go even though she knew she was my dog. she was just being mean. i try to keep my girls safe all of the time. i have pictures of them, each has several tags, i even have some old missing posters that i saved. the baby used to jump on the tarp of the pen and climb out, i could not figure out how she was getting out, til i sat and watched her one day. she jumped over 3 ft to get on the tarp and walked across and jumped down. i took pictures of her walking across the tarp. i had to make it higher, i had put it in their pen for shade.
What an awful thing for your neighbor to do! I have heard of this and we actual did a post about not keeping what isn’t yours. Those kind of people don’t stop to think that the furbabies have feelings too and would love to be back home!
I didn’t know about the digital ones – I have found a few dogs over the past years and that would have made it much easier to get a hold of the owner.
Our dogs have collars, tags, and microchips. Thankfully, they’ve never been missing.
I’ve “misplaced a couple of frightened fosters, but since the very first thing I do when they arrive is to put my ID on them, they were found quickly. Whew!
Such a great article. Unfortunately where I live most of the state do ID their pets. I’ve had to call animal control many times because people dont ID their animals….. in fact Alot of them just let their beloved pets run free. sigh I wish people would secure their pets and ID them for safety reasons.
Really great article. Thank you for sharing
My dogs have tags and microchips. Identification is so important to get lost pets home.
This is so important I do have a collar with a tag on my indoor cat, but I am also getting him chipped at his next appointment.
Pet identification is so important! Everyone should AT LEAST microchip and tag their pets.
My cat Houdini escaped through a hole he ripped in the corner of the screen window one night. It was terrifying to have my son wake me up asking if Houdini was in my room. I spent 2 hours combing the neighborhood calling his name. Of course he strolled around the corner of the house and stretched when I got back like nothing happened. I plan to have him microchipped very soon as well as the kitten we just rescued as soon as it’s possible for her. (not sure at what age they start doing it)
Thank’s for the tips.We need to protect our pets.Identify is important.
Its so important to put tags on your pets and microchip so you dont lose them. Nothing is worse than seeing signs up for lost pets. They always find there way to my home so we are use to having to call owners up to come get their pets.
I’ve seen how many more lost animals are finding their way back home to their families thanks to microchips. My own furbabies are all microchipped, including my indoor-only cats. The dogs also have tags on their collars, and while I have tags for my cats, they typically don’t wear their collars in the house. While a microchip doesn’t guarantee a pet being returned to their family, it really does increase the chances.
This is some great info. If my daughters dogs got lost she would be so upset. All 3 are chipped and has their tags on their collars.
These are some really superior ideas,I will definitely share them with all my friends with pets
Thank you for this article, safety is important.
It is awful to lose a pet. These are great suggestions for making sure you get your pet back into safe hands. Thank you so much for sharing this. God Bless