microchip – My Lovable Rescues

This week was National Pet ID Week! There are so many holidays revolving around our four legged friends! 🙂

I have previously written about tips on “Finding a Lost Pet.” Having your pet properly ID’d is the first step to recovery of a lost friend. So, in honor of National Pet ID Week, here are some tips on making sure your pet is covered!

Mac is still missing in the Tallahassee area.

Tags and collars:

All pets should have a collar and tag that includes your name, address and phone number.

If you move, don’t forget to update their tags with your new contact information.

Consider temporary tags if you travel with your pet.

Rabies and license tags can also help locate your pet if it gets lost.

Microchips:

If your pet does not have a microchip yet, talk with your veterinarian about getting one. I am proud to say that both of my dogs are chipped, and it definitely gives me a sense of relief, knowing that they are connected to me, a backup friend, and the vet’s office!

If your pet gets lost and injured, a microchip will enable a veterinarian at a clinic or veterinary hospital to contact you. This could be urgent if the treating veterinary needs your approval to provide necessary medical care or talk about treatment options.

Of course, you’ll have a better chance of reuniting with your lost pet if make sure to update your contact information with the microchip provider and your veterinarian when you move or get a new phone number.

That’s all for today! Short & simple! 🙂

Here are some other animal related holidays that we can celebrate during the month of April!

Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month; National Pet First Aid Awareness Month; Jane Goodall’s Birthday – Apr. 3; National Pet ID Week – Apr. 14-20; World Week for Animals in Laboratories – Apr. 14-20; Earth Day – Apr. 22; World Penguin Day – Apr. 25; Save the Frogs Day – Apr. 27

Due to social media, word gets spread very quickly these days. I hear and see so many posts about lost dogs. I have also had a bit of experience in this, thanks to Basti (click here to read about him)! So, I thought I would do some facts about what to do in case your dog goes missing.

#1-Start searching immediately! Don’t assume that your dog will come back on his/her own. There are many interesting, distracting things out there in the world for your dog to inspect. You never know what danger they may run into during their wandering.

#2-Bring your dog’s favorite, nosiest toy, and squeak squeak squeak away! This may help get your dog’s attention!

#3-If possible, ask a friend/family member to stay back at the house, and start making calls. Local shelters and your vet’s office should be contacted right away. You should also call animal control, in case someone calls in a lost/stray dog. Be sure to let them know if your dog is timid, scared of men, etc. Also, have your friend start social networking! Post on facebook, local rescues or shelters that have pages, etc. This may be your best bet, especially the longer your dog is gone. Share the news far & wide!

#4-If you reach the 24 hr mark, and your dog is still missing, start making flyers to post around town. Get the word out! Dogs can travel remarkably far in a very short time. Be sure to list correct phone numbers and specific information re: your dog. A color photo would be a good idea. Also, if you can swing it, an offered reward is always good incentive for people to look out for you pup!

#5-Look on Craigslist! This sort of goes along with the social networking, but it’s important. Craigslist has a specific section for lost & found animals. Sometimes the poster includes detailed info and pictures, but sometimes it is very vague. It doesn’t hurt to call or email to see if the found dog is yours!

#6-Keep your hopes up and stay positive! Dogs are amazingly resilient. Even if they are spoiled, inside pups, they are also strong and smart. They will do their best to find a warm hiding place, food, water, etc. until you find them!

Two proactive tips to protect your pet:

#1-Get your dog microchipped. Many rescues and shelters are already doing this for you prior to adopting one of their dogs. If your dog is brought to a shelter or vet, this is the first thing they will check for.

#2-Make sure your pup has current tags. Have more than one phone number listed on the tags, and make sure whoever you listed is aware that they are an emergency contact for your furry child!

Lastly, if you have made the choice to adopt/buy a dog, do the right thing for them. Have a collar with tags on at all times, make sure your fencing is stable and safe. If they do get out (and it happens to the best, most responsible pet owners), do whatever it takes to find them. Do not sit back and wait for your dog to come back, or for someone else to find them. Shelters are full, and dogs are put to sleep ALL the time. Don’t let your family pet become one of them!

(Read more about committing to our pets, in my friend’s blog here!)

That’s all for now! If you have any tips or tricks, feel free to share! Happy Friday! 🙂