Pet Identification Made Easy
My-Dog.info > Dog Care
You are right to be concerned about proper identification
should your dog become lost – something that applies to all
dogs. Nothing brings such a rush of angst more than the
disappearance of a loved pet. With proper identification you can
greatly increase the chance your pet will be returned to you.
Let's take a moment to briefly summarize the strengths and
weaknesses of the various pet identification methods available so
that you can make an informed decision as to which one you plan
to use.
An effective method of pet identification, called electronic
pet identification or microchipping, is rapidly gaining
popularity. It involves the injection, using a standard
hypodermic needle, of a small identification “chip”,
about the size of a grain of rice, under the skin of your
pet’s upper back. Humane societies, municipal animal control
offices, and most veterinary clinics have scanners, much like bar
code readers used in retail stores, that can be passed over the
animal and pick up the implanted microchip. Owner identification
is quickly made by accessing a central computer data bank
available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Recently, many
municipalities have moved to incorporate microchipping into their
licensing program, often offering savings over the more
conventional tag approach, especially if your pet is also
neutered. This method avoids all of the pitfalls associated with
the previous two identification methods, however does have one
disadvantage – the microchip is not visible so a scanner
must be used to identify the pet. To overcome this, most
microchip manufacturers will provide the pet owner with a tag
that lets the individual finding your pet know that the animal
has a microchip.
A simple method of pet identification is the dog/cat tag. This
can be a municipal license, a rabies tag, or a personalized tag.
The strengths are that this method is relatively inexpensive and
is quick and easy to implement. However, the weaknesses limit its
usefulness. As the tags are attached to your pet’s collar,
they are often lost or can be easily removed giving no permanent
means of identification. Also, with municipal or rabies tags, the
specific owner must be retrieved through city hall or the
veterinary clinic involved and this may not be possible for hours
or even days, preventing a quick owner/pet reunion. Another
concern is that this information is regional and may, therefore,
not be easy to access if your pet is lost away from home. This
may be avoided, to some degree, by personalized tags.
A third method of pet identification is by means of a tattoo
applied either to the inside of your pet’s ear flap or on
the inner thigh region. This is generally used in purebred dogs
for Canadian Kennel Club registration. This method’s
strength lies in the fact that it is a permanent means of
identification. The weaknesses are defined by several points.
First, tattooing is a moderately painful procedure that often
necessitates an anesthetic to perform. Second, tattoos often
become faded or distorted with age, making it illegible. Finally,
the same potential delay in information retrieval exists as with
tags.
Regardless of their individual strengths and weaknesses, using
as many means of pet identification as possible will improve your
chances of having your pet returned should he become lost. As a
minimum, I would suggest the use of both a microchip as well as a
form of dog tag. On a final note, don’t forget the best
prevention against a lost pet – a collar and leash!
Reprinted with permission from www.animalhealthcare.ca
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