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Health & Fitness

The Most Important Thing You Can Do For Your Pet

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a post here on the Patch about a dog who had been found in Glendora by a kind soul who was searching for the dog’s owner. I commented on the post just to make some suggestions about checking on Petfinder and with local vets, seeing if the dog had a microchip, and not making assumptions that the dog’s home was close to where he had been found. Dogs can travel a long way even in one day. I received a reply the next day saying that the dog had indeed been taken to the vet and sure enough, he had a microchip and was reunited with his owners who lived in Norwalk, who were ecstatic to have him back after three weeks!

This story was so heartwarming it brought tears to my eyes. I can only imagine how happy both the dog and the owners were to find each other again. Norwalk to Glendora? What a story that little dog must have. It cemented in my mind something I have believed for as long as I can remember. The most important thing you can do for your pet (dog OR cat) is to provide identification that is on him at all times, to include name, address and phone numbers. I am always dismayed by the number of people who tell me no, their dog would never run away.  But the sad truth is, side gates get opened by forgetful gardeners, and bored dogs sometimes dig under fences when they are left alone for too long, and little children let go of leashes too easily when walking their dogs past areas where squirrels are feasting. Dogs will be dogs, and it can happen to the best of them.

A license from the local humane society will only land your pet in the animal shelter and you will have to pay a lot of money to get him out. An identification tag with your pet’s name and your information on it could not only save your pet a lot of stress, but could also save you money.  An even better way to go, in my opinion, is to have your pet microchipped in addition to a pet identification tag on his collar. Tags can fall off, but microchips won’t. Microchips are inexpensive, easy to insert, and can be scanned by any veterinarian and will contain information about the pet’s owner. The most important thing here is, of course, to keep that information current. Make sure you know what information is contained on your pet’s microchip. Was your pet chipped by the organization from which you adopted him? If so, they should have given you the ID number of the tag and the manufacturer, in addition to a contact number you could call to update the information. If you don’t have this, have your pet scanned by your veterinarian and get the chip number and the manufacturer from him, then call to see what information is on file for this chip number. If you have moved since you got your pet, chances are, his microchip information is incorrect and needs to be updated. 

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Microchips are normally placed between the shoulder blades on the dog’s back. However, sometimes they can migrate, though this is rare. When you have a pet scanned for a chip, make sure the person doing the scanning doesn’t just run the scanner along the neck and shoulder area. Chips have been found all the way down near the abdomen. If you don’t find a chip immediately when looking between the shoulders, don’t give up. Keep looking. 

I have to give a shout-out here to a company that has come up with a great idea involving pet identification. It’s called Pet Hub (www.pethub.com). They sell ID tags with a QR code on it along with a 24-hour hotline. The tag is linked to an online database where your pet’s profile resides. You complete the profile with all the necessary information about your pet, including special needs, etc., and it is immediately accessible to the person who finds your dog. Pet Hub  has both free and subscription-based plans. It’s a great product that every pet owner should look into.

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Don’t forget, your dog is not the only one who should have proper identification. Your cat should as well.  Even indoor cats can get out on occasion. Animal rescues are full of cats who have little hope of finding their way back home.  So do your best friend the best favor of all, and make sure he or she has proper, and current, identification. That way, if the unthinkable should happen, they have a much better chance of getting home safely and quickly. 




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