Getting the Puppy His Own ID

By Teri Champigny

Fifteen to twenty million dogs were lost in the last year due to no identification on the dog. Even simple collar tags can help your pet to be returned.  Without any form of ID in place, if your dog goes missing, there is no way to track him even if someone finds him.  Take a moment and make it easy on your best friend if he gets lost.  Make sure he can find his way back to you.

There are several ways to insure the animal will be returned.  The first is an ID tag and Rabies Certificate which should be worn on a collar.  The tag should have your address, phone number, and the puppy's name.  The Rabies Certificate tag has a serial number that can be traced by a vet.  You can also place a tag with any illnesses the animal may have such as Diabetes.

A new device is gaining popularity.  It is a microchip they place under the dog's skin.  A computer scanner can read the bar code on it and find where the animal belongs.  The owner's name and address is entered into a national database.  The only downside is the chip may move to other places in the body making it hard to find.

Tattoos are another option.  They are placed inside the ear.  It will cause a minor discomfort to the animal for a couple of days.  In the long run, it's better to have some pain than to lose you best friend because he got away from you.  They will tattoo a serial number and register it with the national database.

Licenses for dogs have gone up in the last few years.  They used to be ten dollars and are now up to twenty to thirty dollars depending on whether the animal is spayed or neutered.  Licenses insure the dog's rabies shot is up to date.  Rabies is fatal 99% of the time for both dogs and humans.