Methods of Identification in Dogs

Dogs

In 1997, a Lhasa apso named Lukee bolted from his yard in Los Angeles. That was the last his family saw of him. That is, until he was picked up by a local shelter in June 2001.

Animal control officers ran a scanner over him when they picked him up. Nothing. With overcrowding approaching crisis proportions in Los Angeles, animal control officials prepared to euthanize the now seven-year-old dog.

Following shelter policy, they ran another scan over the dog. This time they got a signal – this dog had an owner somewhere. The shelter contacted the microchip company, which keeps records of owners and contact information, apparently even after six years. They contacted the owners and the dog and family were reunited.

Some form of identification for your pet is vital. Of the millions of dogs and cats euthanized in shelters around the country, an estimated 30 percent of them are lost pets whose owners cannot be found. Shelters only hold "stray" animals for a short time – sometimes only for a few days. Without identification, they are inevitably euthanized unless adopted out.

Identification has evolved over the years, from collar tags to tattoos and, more recently, implanted microchips. All are still available, at a reasonable cost. But which one is best?

The short answer: combine the traditional collar tag with either a tattoo or a microchip. The reason is that the average person who finds a lost dog may not know to look for a tattoo and won't be able to detect the microchip without a scanner. Often, the effort to contact the owner depends on how easy it is to do so.

Collar tags can provide immediate contact information. Along with the ID tag, your dog should wear his license, which indicates that he has been vaccinated against rabies.

Here are the individual advantages and disadvantages of different forms of identification.

Collar Tags

These are a must. Tags immediately tell a shelter worker that this dog has a home and a family who miss him. Tags should have up-to-date information on the name, address and phone number of the owner, and the name and number of the veterinarian (if there is enough room).

The ID tag should be accompanied by the dog's license tag, which tells whoever finds the dog that he has been vaccinated for rabies and is registered with the local government.

The tags should be attached to your dog's collar. Unfortunately, collars can be lost or (if the pet is stolen) taken off, so you'll want to have a backup method of identification. If you don't like ID tags, you can get collars that come with a plate to engrave your information.