It’s National Pet ID Week so we’re here to talk about keeping your pets info easily accessible and up to date. No one wants to lose a pet and chances are good that it can happen to you. 1 in 3 pets will be lost in their lifetime and of all those lost pets only 2% of cats and 20% of dogs are ever returned to their owners. So make sure you follow some (or all!) of the options below and give your beloved pet a better chance at finding their way home:
- Personalized ID tags are the most common and easily accessible ways to ID your pet. They are easily bought and marked at most pet stores and even come in some fun and interesting styles to keep it interesting. Most people choose to put the pets name and a phone number at the very least but you can also fit a physical or email address on these tags. Some also opt to put health information such as medication or allergies to keep the pet safe while they’re gone. You can even get them a pet ID license. Some pets are escape artists though and there is always the risk that the collar can break or the animal can wiggle out of it when they are lost so you should always back this up with another ID method.
- State licenses are a good and sometimes mandatory way to ID your pet. These forms of ID will generally have more information about your pet such as breed, color and microchip number if available. State licenses are generally cheap and are sometimes required by state law to be registered. Check with your state government to learn more.
- Microchips can be the most reliable way to make sure that your pet is identifiable by a rescue or vet that comes into contact with them after being lost. Most vets will microchip your pet for a onetime fee of around $50 dollars. The chipping itself is relatively painless and once completed should be registered with the microchip company. This information can always be (and should always be) updated to keep phone number and address current. It is a good idea to have your vet check the microchip every once in a while to make sure that the chip is registering properly and hasn’t migrated. If your pet gets lost and is brought to a vet or a shelter, the employees there simply scan for a microchip and can pull up the information you’ve previously registered on the chip.
Remember that a pet can always get lost. Many pet owners think that it can’t happen to them because their pet is always on a leash or doesn’t leave the house but a disaster can happen at any time and when you least expect it. If your pet gets lost make sure you start looking immediately. Don’t just expect that your pet will turn up after a day or so. Start knocking on doors and making posters as soon as possible before your pet has a chance to leave the area and your chance of finding them goes down. Whatever you do always keep your pet safe and properly identified, whether it’s a cat or a dog!
Are you interested in preserving the DNA of your pet? Call us today at 888-876-6104 to get started.
By: Dennis