18/11/2024
𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐍𝐎 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄
We all want to keep our dogs safe, and we know ID is crucial to getting them home, should they get lost.
Many people have gotten their dogs microchipped, a type of ID which can't fall off, unlike a collar or tag. But collars and ID tags are not obsolete, and in many cases, as in the past before chipping, may still be the thing that reunites you with your lost pet.
Keep in mind that a good samaritan who sees and detains your dog with a collar and tag with a phone number can contact you immediately, reuniting you quickly. A person who finds your lost dog on the street with no collar or tag has to first, know that the dog may have a chip (no, still, not everyone is completely familiar with the concept), then take the dog to a shelter, vet, or someone else who owns a scanner to verify the chip, then wait for the scan registry to contact the dog's owner, then make the connection. Not everyone will know all this, or have the time or inclination to do this amount of legwork.
Even if your dog is chipped, it's a good idea to maximize the chance of reunion with a collar and ID tag for the times your dog is not spotted by a person with the experience, time or ability to take these multiple steps to find and verify a chip.
Of course, prevention is always preferable to a cure, so making sure fences and gates are secure, that your dog is secure while being walked (retractable leashes are not safe—they are generally too long for control, and the cable can come off the reel if the dog bolts) and asking any visitors and workers, like gardeners and pool caretakers, to be extra careful opening and closing gates and doors will help prevent escapes.
In the case of cats, non-breakaway collars are a hazard— a cat can catch the collar on a fence or other projection, even inside, with tragic results—and breakaway collars often... breakaway, taking the tag with them. Here, a chip can be considered if your cat enjoys the outdoors.
Even with caution, accidents can happen, but we can prevent most of them with the protective vigilance—including accurate and accessible ID—we need to be great pet parents.
Together we save them,
Guardians of Rescue
www.guardiansofrescue.org/donate