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Make sure
pets have proper identification
March 8, 2007
One of my colleagues often uses the phrase "It is what it is." When I
hear her say that, it reminds me of the simple but sage advice that our
mothers and grandmothers often imparted to us. Advice we find so true --
especially when we don't follow it.
For pet owners, there are quite a few examples of these indisputable
givens, such as "A tired dog is a good dog" or "Where there's a dirty
litter box, litter accidents are sure to follow."
Another one of those givens is that recovering a lost pet is less likely
if that pet doesn't have some type of identification. Simply put, pet
identification with current information is critical.
ID information should include the owner's name, a current phone number
and a current address.
But a study released last month by a team of veterinarians and
researchers from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary
Medicine found that the numbers of pets with proper ID is not as
prevalent as it should be.
For those of us who work in animal shelters, the results are
unsurprising. Unfortunately, many animals end up at our shelter without
collars, tags or microchips.
The Ohio study was conducted to take a scientific look at the most
successful search methods in finding a lost pet. Researchers stumbled
upon eye-opening percentages about the preventive steps pet owners take
-- or in most cases don't take.
As for surveyed dog owners, only 43 percent of study participants had an
identifiable tag on their dog, and only 19 percent of cat owners had any
type of ID on their cats.
In measuring the most successful methods of finding a lost pet, it was
found that visiting a local animal shelter soon after a pet is missing,
as well as returning often to check again, increases the chances of
finding a lost pet. And if the pet has proper ID, the shelter often
finds the owner first.
Cat owners should take special note that while 71 percent of lost dogs
were successfully reunited with their owners, only 53 percent of cats
had the same success rate.
The recovery of cats also is more difficult because of a cat's tendency
to run and hide and not come when called. It should be a common practice
to put ID tags and collars on cats and protect them with microchips, but
there seems to be a general resistance to do so on the part of many cat
owners.
There are a wide variety of safety collars available that are
comfortable for cats, and you should definitely have your cat implanted
with a microchip.
Losing a pet can be a very traumatic and painful experience, but if your
furry companion happens to wander off, there is great comfort in knowing
that with proper ID they can be safe at home once again.
- Laura Maloney
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