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DON’T
LOSE YOUR PET
PET IDENTIFICATION
TIPS
The
plight of a lost pet is one that touches all of us. This theme
is made famous in movies such as The Incredible Journey, and many
a Lassie program, including Lassie Come Home. And anyone who has
ever experienced the loss of their dog or cat knows the immeasurable
pain and fear it brings. Whenever we see those lost pet posters
around the neighborhood, most often written and put up by children,
we are so grateful it isn’t our own pet. And to make sure it never
is, you need to take steps so that your dog or cat may be identified.
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Scottie, 1998
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SO
WHAT DO YOU DO TO BEST PREVENT THIS HEARTBREAK?
ID TAG
Ensure
your pet wears an identification tag. According
to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA),
93 per cent of all dogs and 98 per cent of all cats turned in have NO IDENTIFICATION.
Many of these animals are someone’s pet, with no way of getting back home.
If you think you are suffering with the loss of your pet, just think how
a lost, defenseless animal feels in a strange place, with impending euthanasia
as its fate.
This
can so easily be avoided, merely by putting an external identification
tag on your pet. Click here for more information.
The
breed that tends to wander most is said to be the Beagle. But the RSPCA
says they get a variety of breeds, both cross and pure breeds. Small dogs
tend to turn up in higher proportion, probably because they can dig and
escape under fences more easily.
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MICROCHIP
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Scooby, Ferndale St, 1997
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Microchipping
is another way to guard against a lost pet. A microchip is a
tiny identification chip injected under your pet's skin. It
is read with a special scanner that most pounds and vet clinics
have. Increasingly laws require that microchipping is mandatory.
Microchipping
is not enough alone. It is important, but is only useful if the animal
gets to a vet or a pound, whereas tag identification
means anyone that finds your lost cat or dog can immediately
identify the animal and help it be returned to its loving home
and owner.
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RESPONSIBLE
PET OWNERSHIP
Brenda
Brown, Media Officer for the RSPCA says, “It is not good enough to let
your animals wander round the streets. Animals must be microchipped and
identified. If you see an animal wandering the street, anyone can check
the tag and call the owner, so collar tags are important.” In addition,
council registration tags (licensing) help identify a pet.
Most
councils have laws about leashing dogs, for the protection of the public
and also to avoid lost dogs. But dogs can escape from your back garden,
or a postman or visitor may inadvertently leave a gate open, so identification
tags are not only preferable, but also the act of a responsible pet owner.
STEPS
TO TAKE IF YOUR PET IS LOST
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Inform
neighbors and local businesses that your pet is lost.
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Organize
a search party. Walk the neighborhood as well as drive.
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File a
lost pet report at all agencies and shelters in the surrounding area.
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Go to
local agencies and shelters at least once daily to check the new arrivals.
Leave a photo of your pet.
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Make fliers
that include the date of loss, name of pet, description, any unique markings,
a photo and your phone number. Include a reward offer.
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Put the
fliers up around your neighborhood, at shopping centers, veterinarian clinics,
pet shops and anywhere else, including your old neighborhood if you've
recently moved.
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Place
lost pet ads in newspapers and check the Found Pets section in your local paper.
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Don’t
give up. Many pets have been found months after their disappearance.
OTHER
ID TAG TIPS
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Remember
to update your pet’s id tag when you move house or change your phone number.
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Check
the tag regularly to make sure it is easily read and is still there!
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Don’t
let complacency mean the loss of a life; tag your pet to avoid trauma.
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Click
here for more information
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