Should your pet go missing, the identification you have attached
to him or her is usually the key factor in determining whether
or not your pet will make it home.
In spite of our best efforts to keep our pets safe, they can
become lost, injured or stolen. Losing your pet is an awful
experience for you and your pet. I know, my cat Puddles was
missing in the woods for two months ... but I did find her.
There are many methods of pet identification ... some simple,
some permanent and some high tech. Your best bet is
to use more than one.
Tattooing is a form of permanent pet identification.
A pet tattoo should be applied by an experienced veterinarian
or a highly recommended trained specialist.
Tattoos are usually applied in the ear or sometimes the
inner leg under anesthesia. My cats had them done when they
were spayed and neutered.
They can fade over time and might require a touch up. On
a dark skinned animal the tattoo is not as noticeable -
it would be helpful if a lighter ink was available for pets,
as well as the dark.
As a general rule, tattoos are most effective in the city
or area in which they were applied and registered. If you
move and don't update your contact information - the tattoo
might be very difficult to trace.
Your pet's tattoo should be registered
with the vet or specialist that applied it. There are also
registries where you can register the tattoo - ask for a
recommendation from your vet or animal shelter.
Inserting microchips in your pets can be an effective method
of pet tracking ... but it is not foolproof.
Pet microchips have been under scrutiny recently. This
high tech method of pet identifications works well if
animal rescue, animal control, and pet homeless shelters
have the correct (or any) equipment to
read these chips. Some microchips and scanners operate using
different frequencies.
The United States is promoting their 'universal' scanner
using the FECAVA standard. In Canada, vets use both the
FECAVA and the ISO standard. If you are moving or travel
with your pet be aware that some microchips are
not common to all countries.
Before you purchase a microchip for your pet, or if you
have already done so, or moved ... make sure your local
animal shelters and other animal welfare agencies have
a compatible scanner that will detect and read
that brand of microchip.
Microchips are usually placed between a cat's shoulder
blades by your vet and contain an identification
number. If your pet's microchip is scanned by a
hand held - and compatible - scanner, an internet data base
will immediately provide your contact information. Other
information stored in the database can
include immunization records, your vet and pet's name and
a possible reward.
If you are not too keen on having your pet microchipped,
you can also purchase collars with these microchips embedded
in them.
No method of pet identification is entirely reliable, collars
disappear, tattoos might not be seen and microchips have not
been detected. The best approach is to use more than one method.
It's easy to forget ... but if emergency contact information
changes, you are moving
or give your cat or dog away, do keep the contact
information updated and advise the appropriate
registry, database and your veterinarian.
We do what we can to keep our pets healthy and safe. Hopefully,
in the event your pet does go missing, the efforts you have
made to identify him or her as your own will pay off and you
will be easily reunited.
More information
Pet
collars and identification tags - a simple and inexpensive
way to id your cat or dog.
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