What to Put on a Pet ID Tag

Despite all your best defenses, there is always a chance your dog can escape and become lost. This scenario is bad enough when thoughts of road safety take root, but it becomes even more distressing when a dog requires regular medication. An ID tag attached securely to the collar is one way to help ensure people can contact you and arrange for the happy reunion.

Contact
Some people choose only to include the dog's name and a phone number, while others provide a full address and additional contact information. Safety and privacy are reasons for not listing too much personal data; consider using a work address if your feel strongly about providing a physical location. Friends, family, neighbors and a veterinarian are all good phone numbers to have as alternate contacts in the event you can't immediately be reached. When taking your dog on the road, it's also smart to attach a temporary travel tag with a phone number of someone who knows where you are. Be sure to keep everything updated by making new tags when any information changes.

Health Alerts
Short of pinning notes to their collars the way mothers do with their school-aged children, there is no way for potential rescuers to know your dog has severe food allergies or is on lifesaving drugs unless it's printed on the ID tag. You don't need to actually list which drugs your dog takes or how often, which may unwittingly encourage well-meaning folks to administer them, but it is imperative to state "MEDICAL ALERT," for example, to create greater urgency for immediate contact.

Microchip Number
In cases where tags are still attached but unreadable, the unique registration number associated with microchip identification is an additional safeguard. These tiny transponders inserted just below the skin carry the same ID information and are identifiable when scanned by a reader wand; nearly all shelters and veterinary offices are equipped to determine whether or not a dog is chipped. The number is then verified in the manufacturer's database and the owner is contacted. This only works, however, when owners register it with the company; until then, the chip number is not associated with the dog who has it.

Keeping Tags Attached
The tag is only helpful when it stays on your dog; oftentimes it can become tangled and pulled off, or the entire collar can disappear altogether. Newer versions of the standard type are made so the collar threads through metal loops rather than attaching with a dangling S-hook. This design change has been instrumental in creating a snug fit with much less potential for loss.

Originally written for and published by Demand Media
Photo credit: Paul Retherford from Fotolia