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Summer is coming and you\u2019ll likely be spending more time outside. Help your pets stay safe in the event of an accidental escape with proper identification (ID) tags AND a microchip!<\/p>\n
ID tags come in many colors, shapes and variable degrees of sparkle. Some families opt for less noisy \u201cboomerang\/slider\u201d type tags. Some families choose to have the important information embroidered directly on their pet\u2019s collar. No matter what your pet\u2019s ID tags look like, they should always contain the following information:<\/p>\n
ID tags are an easy way for the public to identify your pet\u2019s name and call you if your pet is lost. When I worked in Oregon, I once reunited a family with their injured dog that had been missing for 3 months because he was wearing a collar with ID tags.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, ID tags can fall off collars, the inscriptions can wear off with time or your pet\u2019s collar could become detached. The second line of safety is having your pet microchipped.<\/p>\n
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Microchips<\/strong> How do microchips work?<\/strong> A Special Note about Cats: \u201cEnd the cat nudity. Embrace the orange.”<\/strong> Since cats are essentially furry acrobats, it\u2019s strongly recommended to have quick release\/break away collars on cats to prevent choking injury or death if tangled on fences, trees, etc…<\/p>\n Please take the time to invest in collars, ID tags, and microchips for your pets. Don\u2019t wait until it\u2019s too late!<\/p>\n
\nMicrochips are rice grain sized transponders that are implanted with a large gauge needle under your pet\u2019s skin, typically on the back between the shoulder blades.
\nMany pets are microchipped at the time of a spay or neuter surgery, while under general anesthesia. However, general anesthesia is not required or necessary for the procedure. My own dog was microchipped as an adult (the rescue organization he came from did not implant microchips) with the only restraint being a tasty jar of chicken baby food.<\/p>\n
\nA special scanner is waved over your pet\u2019s coat to detect the microchip signal. The unique ID number associated with that chip will read on the scanner. There are many different types of microchip scanners. A universal scanner is designed to detect all the different types of microchips. Veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and animal control agencies have microchip scanners to help reunite a lost pet with their family.<\/p>\nImportant Points about Microchips:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\nIndoors is certainly where cats are safest from predators, vehicles, diseases, and parasites. Here\u2019s a new and interesting idea for indoor cat owners:\u00a0The Kitty Convict<\/a>. The concept is to place an orange collar on indoor-only cats to signal that they belong inside and are not an outdoor or stray cat. This allows the public to know that any cat sporting an orange collar has escaped and needs help getting home safely.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/share_indoor.png\")
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