When you cash a check, you may be asked for your ID -or when you use a credit card, board an airplane or enter a secure facility. I rarely leave home without my ID. So why should I expect my pet to go around with no identification?
The American Humane Association reports that ten million pets are lost or stolen in this country every year, and more than half will end up in animal shelters. A pet with some identification has a chance to be reunited with its owner; one with no ID could be euthanized for lack of a home.
I have a friend who moved to a new home with her two cats. One of them got out and my friend is heartsick. She has put up signs and posters, and checked with neighbors and the local animal shelter, but to no avail. Unfortunately, her cat had no ID.
There are several ways you can provide some identification for your furry friend. Many dogs wear collars with at least a rabies tag. You can purchase a metal tag engraved with your pet’s name and your address and phone number. (Any cat collar should the “break-away” kind so it won’t be snagged on a branch or twig in a tree, trapping your pet.) You can now order tags that have a scannable QR code that links to your information. Most folks know what to do with those – they scan the tag with their phone, which provides the information needed to help your furry buddy find its way home.
Of course, collars can come off, and then what? Having your pet microchipped is a permanent – and painless - way to make sure your pet always has identification. Most veterinarians and animal shelters regularly scan animals in hopes of reuniting a pet with its human. Just remember to update your information in the registry if your address or phone number changes.
Today is Tag Day, always the first Saturday in April. It’s a good reminder that ensuring your best friend always has a tag (or other identification) can make a life or death difference, when you’re speaking of pets.
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