Tags on collar question

[107barney]

Originally Posted by Britster

Exactly!

Lots of things are to keep our pups safe but happen to be attractive or stylish at the same time. Harnesses, collars, jackets, etc.

I could just go out and buy a plain ole jacket for Jackson for the winter to keep him warm. But I also like it to be stylish, so he gets one with a fur hood and a design that I like *shrugs* Nothing wrong with that.

And believe me, I am far from the fashion queen when it comes to myself or my dogs. We don't do clothes when they aren't necessary (except for holidays, etc), I don't do strollers, or doggy backpacks, etc, but I am just saying there's nothing wrong with being cute and functional at the same time.

I agree. Our tags are very cute and colorful and the ugly rabies tag goes on the harness not the collar.

[heartmyyorkie]

Pita's collar only has her I.D. tag with 2 #'s that can always be reached. She constantly is chewing on her tags...she wore the info off of her last i.d.tag, and I was worried about her eating that finish off of the rabies tag, so it is on her harness now. I just bought her a new smaller i.d. tag that she cannot reach to chew on anymore...I am so afraid of her running out of the front door without any i.d. so that gives me piece of mind to have some form of identification on her at all times.

[Roccosmommy]

Rocco has a name tag and rabies tag on a collar that he wears 24/7. The jingling of the tags helps me to know where he is. His name tag has our name, phone, and "$500 reward if lost" on it.

[Bitsy]

Originally Posted by addevo

OK, one last rant - an ID tag on your dog is not meant to be a cute accessory. Think of it as a lifeline that may mean the difference, literally, between life and death for your dog. And unending heartbreak for you. How would you feel if your dog somehow gets separated from you, and isn't wearing enough ID to tie her back to you? ID Tags can be unattractive, but providing enough information for someone to get your precious baby back to you far outweighs the "ick" factor.

Lol! I guess you are addressing me since my post was before yours? No need to "rant" at me...I never said anything about fashion....I mentioned comfort. However, I really see nothing wrong with the tags, collars, leashes, etc. being fashionable as well as practical and safe.

I can see you are passionate about dog safety...that is great! Thanks for sharing the importance of I.D. safety.

[Bitsy]

Originally Posted by addevo

I volunteered at my local animal shelter for several years, and saw alot of stray animals come in. There are several factors to consider when deciding what to put on your dog's collar.

First, in most jurisdictions, it is required that pet owners keep their dogs vaccinated for rabies. If your dog bites someone, is bitten or attacked by another dog, or is off leash, lost or somehow gets picked up by animal control, the first thing everyone wants to know is whether they are vaccinated. Rabies tags are a way to help prove that. The tag sometimes contains a date, but more importantly, has a serial number and a phone number for the vet who issued it so that it's easy to check their health records. For alot of animals, it is the ONLY thing owners put on their collars, and so is invaluable in tracking down the owner of a stray. It also gives good Samaritans a comfort level that it is ok to handle your animal, that someone loves him enough to take care of him, and that they will be more likely to try to find his owner.

Next, every animal, even ones who NEVER go outside, should wear a tag with their address, including city and state, and phone number, including area code. Also, put both home and cell phone numbers on the tag.

I won't bore you with the crazy things that can and do happen, but here are a few:
1) Owner took their dog to some friends' vacation home over July 4th. Their dog got spooked by fireworks and dashed across the field, and hid in a barn where the barn's owner found her several hours later. If no tag, or only name
and home phone number, it would have taken much longer time to reunite them.
2) People leave their pets with friends or relatives while they are out of town. The friend's kids, not accustomed to having a dog around, leave the gate open and the dog wanders off into an unfamiliar neighborhood.
3) A typically curious indoor/outdoor cat went into a delivery truck to inspect it's contents, the delivery guys didn't see her until she jumped out again, at their next delivery address, which was over 30 miles away.

In the city where I live requires all dogs and cats to be licensed, and that they
must wear their license. Failure to do so can result in a fine.

Again, for those who say their dog is never out of their sight, that may be true, but why take a chance when the difference between losing your beloved baby and getting them back immediately is an investment of a few minutes and a very low cost? Tags are available on the internet for only a few bucks, often with free shipping.

And the final thing, is MICROCHIP. Collars can come off, people can steal your dog, but a microchip is proof positive. And make sure to keep your current
address and phone numbers up to date with the company that issues the chip. I can't count the number of strays who were microchipped, but the contact information was out of date and therefore useless.

This is great info. Thanks for sharing! And bless you for working at the shelters. It must be so heartbreaking.

[Bitsy]

Originally Posted by 107barney

My dogs have tags slightly bigger than a nickle and I have my full name, address, phone number and an 800 # service all on the tag and it's very clear. Teddy's tag is the size of a quarter and has one additional line that says seizures needs meds in additional to all of the above. Rabies tags arent on the tag, and if they call the numbers the vet is connected to verify rabies status.

Cathy, your tags sound great. Can you share a link of where you got them? Thanks!