17/01/2024
Pet Safety Precautions… Lost Fido!
Tips and tricks from an animal shelter employee, who takes care of the islands lost and found dogs DAILY.
In February of 2023, I started my journey working in animal welfare with the Hawaiian Humane Society. Since becoming an animal caretaker for shelter animals, I have learned the hard way how the unreadiness of pet owners often leads pets to the shelter. In an effort to bring awareness to the importance of lost pet preventions, I am here to share everything I have learned from my experience behind the scenes of the animal shelter.
The animal shelter is not sunshine and rainbows. While shelter workers work tirelessly around the clock to make the shelter experience as digestible as possible for our animals, the shelter environment is STRESSFUL. It will scare, stress, and cause immense distress to your pet. The shelter experience can at times be so traumatic, that your pet may inhabit minor or major behavioral changes as a result. That being said, it is everyone’s responsibility as a pet owner to do everything they can to prepare their pet so that in the scenario their pet is taken to an animal shelter for any reason, their pets stay will be minimum. Your goal is to prepare your pet so you can retrieve them as quick as possible, therefor limiting the amount of FAS (Fear, Anxiety and Stress) that your pet endures. This is way easier than you think!
Please remember that your animals are relying on you to keep them safe. In the last year of animal sheltering, more pets have been failed by their owners than those who have been found, and happily reunited. I have seen dogs who have waited weeks before they were found. Some dogs being so scared that they are not able to eat or use the bathroom. They endure the stress of the shelter, waiting at the kennel door for their loved one to come and find them. It is a sad, harsh reality that can be prevented if only more people knew how.
So without further ado, here are my top tips for keeping your pet out of the shelter!
1.) Microchip your pet.
This is perhaps the only, permanent way to tie you to your pet. Animal shelters rely on the presence of a microchip in order to link animals to their owners. If no microchip is found, all your pet can do is hope you find them. At that point, there is nothing more an animal shelter employee can do but wait for you as well. Don’t make your pet wait for you! Remember many shelters only have a 5-7 day week stray hold before your pet may be put up for adoption.
2.) A traditional name tag.
Do not rely on a traditional name tag to be able to successfully relocate your dog. Unlike the microchip, a name tag is not permanent. Tags can be rusted, break or fall apart while your pet is lost.
However, if you invest in a good quality metal ring for your tag this greatly improves your pets chances of being returned to you sooner. If your dog is found by a good citizen or animal control, the finder may rely on your pets traditional name tag for identification until they have access to a microchip scanner.
3.) If your pet has health concerns, consider a medical alert tag.
Medical alert tags are like traditional pet tags, however the tag alerts the finder that your pet has medical concerns. These tags are often designed to stand out, usually red and have a Red Cross symbol on them.
Examples of medical alert tags are as follows:
Dogs who require daily medication: A tag might say something like, “I need daily medications,”
Dogs with special diets: A tag might read something like, “I need a special diet.”
Medical alert tags are incredibly important. Many animal shelters rely on medical alert tags to know whether or not your pet needs to receive immediate veterinary care. Otherwise, your pet will be on a waiting list to see a veterinarian. We can’t know your pet has medical concerns if you don’t help us find out.
I bought mine on ETSY!!!
4.) Consider a Bytetag!
A ByteTag is a specialized name tag using QR code technology. If your pet is lost, all a finder needs to do is scan the QR code on the back of your pets Bytetag. That QR code will send them to an internet link that showcases all of the personal information you should have put in for your pet. As an owner, you can create a specialized profile for your pet that includes everything from your contact information, home address, veterinary contact information, behavior and health concerns. I like my ByteTags, because the finder can approve for their address to be shared with you VIA text or email. From there, you can GPS track your way to your pet.
ByteTag is helpful for those who use pet sitters as well. The account owner can set up their pets profile so that their pet sitter can be included as a, “subscriber,” so that the petsitter will also be notified of your pets GPS location. This is especially helpful for the pet sitter when you may be away on vacation if an accident occurs.
Considerably, animal shelters also find ByteTags helpful as we can easily get your pet in contact with you and your veterinarian. The ByteTag also reveals to shelter employees the details of your pets health concerns. It also allows shelters to cater your pets shelter stay to their behavioral needs.
5.) If your pet is lost, do not rely on Facebook for assistance. Many animal shelters have lost and found pages. PetCo Love-Lost is also a very helpful site to utilize. Be sure to check your animal shelter daily.
And lastly, don’t forget to help your pets find you. Microchipping is perhaps the most important part of being a pet owner. Your veterinarian offers microchipping, as well as any animal shelter. Many shelters will have microchipping clinics throughout the year with discounted chip prices as well. There is no excuse.
Chip those pets! All of my pets are microchipped, including my bunnies. All my pets have a traditional tag, ByteTag, microchip tag and a medical tag if necessary. I utilize all the resources I can, because I have seen the effects for those who do not use any of them above.
Remember, your goal is to prepare your pet so that they do not ensure the hardships of the shelter and so that you can be reunited with them as fast as possible. We owe them that much. 🐾❤️