Understanding Types of Identifications Available for Your Pet

Understanding Types of  Identifications 

Available for Your Pet

Today’s pet people have a large selection of types of identification styles to choose from, compared to in the past. No matter what you choose, many of the basics styles still work and there are many new technological features your pet should not be without. 

For many, many years a basic collar was considered the standard form of identification for most pets, mainly dogs. The reason why this worked is because people used to live in much smaller towns and generally people were familiar with everybody’s dog who would roam the streets and the basic collar was the sign the dog had a home nearby. You could just ask the local grocer or gas station attendant and they would say “Oh, that the the Johnson dog. They live down on Acorn Lane.” Then Rover was brought home. 

The most common type of identification that animals wear is a tag that has the person’s personal information to get the pet home quickly, 24 hours a day. Examples of popular information on a tag is a phone number, preferably a cell phone number, and then the pet’s name. Sometimes, more information like the person’s name and address, is included. The ID tag can be personalized and created by the person to say just what they choose. For example, maybe the pet has a medical condition, needs immediate attention, and the pet’s doctor’s name is engraved on the tag. Some people will post a reward amount on the tag if the animal is found. These tags are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles. The two types of material used to make tags are either plastic or metal. These tags are easy to purchase through the mail, online or directly at many pets stores, which often have tag machines inside the store that can make the tag while you wait. Unlike license tags, which are required by law in many cities, ID tags are not required, but are highly recommended. 

Animal licenses are required by many cities and counties though out the country, and to get the requirements for where you live, it would be best to contact the animal services agency that services your area or jurisdiction. Many agencies do require dog licenses, and a few require them for cats, but most commonly for dogs. The history of dog licenses tends to be mixed with the purposes of decoration, for identification of the animal and for tax collection purposes. In modern times, however, the basis behind an animal license has become to be a form of identification, and to document that a rabies vaccination has been given to the animal, in an effort to control the often fatal and debilitating disease in both animals and humans. These tags should be worn along with regular ID tags since they only contain the phone number and information of the animal services agency, and if your pet if found after hours, you can’t be contacted again until someone comes into the office to search for your contact information. 

Another common type of tag seen on many dogs is a rabies tag. These tags are obtained by the veterinarian who administers the rabies vaccination to your pet. A current rabies vaccination is required for all dogs in each state in the United States. Some cities require the rabies tag to be worn, some do not, but it is highly recommended to show proof of current vaccinations. Similar to license tags, this type of tag should never be worn as a sole form of identification because the vet’s number is on the tag. If the office is closed, the person who finds your pet has no way to contact you until the next time the vet’s office is open. Compared to if your pet is wearing a tag with your current phone number and/or address, and they find your pet at 2 AM, you can be contacted immediately, and make sure your pet gets returned home as soon as possible.

Microchips are a newer type of identification, compared to ID tags, going back to at least 1995. My dog, Scout, got her microchip when they were first introduced, and she was a young adult at the time. A microchip is a small rice size piece of encrypted metal that is injected under your pet’s skin, between the shoulder blades. When scanned by either a hand held scanner or a floor machine the animal walks through, a number shows up on the screen of the scanner. The person with the scanner then contacts the appropriate registry, gives them the number from the scanner, who, in turn, contacts you directly. The person with the scanner does not have access to your personal information. They must contact the registry to get your information. Most registries are open 24 hours a day by phone to contact you if your pet is found. 

Two common mistakes I see with microchips are first, that the microchip does not get registered to the dog after the chip is injected. The chip must be registered to the person with the animal, or else the microchip registry can not find you if the animal is missing. So, remember to register the microchip to you after it is injected in case your dog gets lost, so you can be contacted immediately. Second, if you move, remember to contact the registry to update your information. Don’t rely on forwarding phone numbers or forwarding mail. 

Some microchip registries will have their own individual tags they hand out for all animals that have been microchipped. If those tags are issued, it would be a good idea to keep those tags on your pets with the other tags. These tags inform others that your pet is wearing a microchip with the chip number, in case they have a hard time reading the chip. 

Every time an animal comes into a shelter, the employee should scan the animal looking for a microchip. If, for some reason, the employee is unable to scan, for instance, if the dog is scared and uncooperative, the employee marks on the card, “Unable to Scan,” and then the animal will be scanned again during their stay at the shelter. Also, shelter employees should be performing a full body scan, in order to look for the microchip, and not just between the shoulders where the microchip was installed. This is because microchips can migrate around the body, and the full body scan would discover the chip if it has moved. 

When you take your pet into their vet for a check up or other type of visit, ask your vet to scan your pet to confirm the location and readability of their microchip.  If you find the chip has migrated, it would be a good idea to install another chip in the shoulder blade area again, and make sure that both chips are regularly updated with correct information. 

Another common type of identification is to have the pet’s name and phone number embroidered into the webbing of a nylon collar. This might be an idea if the use of tags is not possible. For example, some pets chew on their ID tags, or some people do not like the sound of the tags “jingling” around the house, so the embroidered nylon collar might be an alternative.

I have also heard of people marking the inside of their pet’s collars with their phone number through the use of a permanent marker. I don’t recommend this method of identification since the ink will eventually dissolve and become unreadable. Also, the average person won’t see the information, and it is not a great idea to remove a collar from an unfamiliar dog, in case the dog becomes scared and runs off without their collar.