OMG! Oh Jodi, what a horrible start to your morning with a thankfully wonderful ending. My heart just about pounded out of my chest reading your post. I'm so, so, so happy you have all three back and safe with you.
It definitely gives me something else to consider in the great collar debate. My girls always wear them with their id tags and their harness when we go out for walks and their daycare requires a breakaway collar with id tags, but I don't know what I should do when we are at home. Living in a high rise, I feel pretty confident if they got out the door they'd have a hard time getting from the 14th floor, to the elevator, all the way downstairs and then out the door, but you just never know...of course, there is nothing to say that if someone discovered them that they would be honest.
I've seen the Buddy Belts before, and I really like the looks of them. Those that use them, do you keep them on even when your pups are home alone? I thought I read something about a puppy that was hung by his harness (not collar) when left alone wearing it.
On the rare occasion my girls are home alone, I leave them completely nude (even remove their hair bows) for fear of choking hazards.