Making sure your pet has an ID is an essential step in making it easier to be reunited with them. While dogs are two and a half times more likely to be reunited with their owners than cats, it’s still important to get both your dog and cat ID’d.
Pet ID collar tags are the first form of pet identification that usually comes to mind. Personalized pet ID tags are available at most pet stores and a variety of websites. The most important piece of information is your phone number. A dog or cat found with just that one piece of information will most likely be quickly returned.
Microchipping is the other main form of pet identification. A small microchip, about the size of a grain of rice, is implanted by your veterinarian under your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. If your pet gets lost, the chip can be scanned at a shelter or vet’s office and your contact information retrieved. It’s important to note the chip isn’t a GPS so it won’t show you where your pet is. It does however give your pet a form of ID that they can’t lose and that greatly improves their chances of being recovered. In fact, research shows that lost dogs with a microchip are 2.5x more likely to be reunited if found, and for cats that increases to 20x.
Making sure your pet has identifying tags on their collar and a microchip will make things a little less stressful should your pet get lost. So take a moment this week to either get your pet some identification or make sure their existing IDs are updated and good to go! If you are interested in getting your pet microchipped, give us a call.