Any time that you own a dog or cat, you run the risk that they will get loose. All it takes is one door opening a crack and they are gone. Toddlers are criminal masterminds that will conspire with your pet for freedom. Your spouse will be running late for work. You will be juggling groceries. There are a thousand reasons cats and dogs get lost. Your job is to take steps to get them back.

Your first line of defense is a collar with identification tags. If your dog gets loose, people that find her will check her tags to bring her home. The police keep an eye out for lost dogs. If yours has your address and phone number on their collar, she will come home. Cats are less likely to be actively sought, but many people know the cats in the area. If they notice an extra cat that is wearing a collar, they will return the cat to you.

If a cat is not wearing a collar, most people ignore the cat. So make certain that the collar that you buy for your cat or dog fits properly. Your pet store will be happy to help you locate the right one. Your cat or dog should wear their collar constantly, not just for walks. Very few pets get lost on walks. Most escape at and unplanned time. If your pet constantly wears their collar, they will be less inclined to remove it.

As vital as a collar with tags is a radar tag. This is a very small computer chip implanted between the shoulders. All it has on it is a number. That number links up with a database that has your information, if you are registered. When your information changes, you can update the database so that you always have current contact information. Some owners get the implant and then forget to register. If you do that, all the animal control is left with is a meaningless number. Registration is very cheap and will ensure that your pet comes home.

Another, rarer, form of identification is a tattoo. You can tattoo your name and phone number to your dog’s belly. Of course, you can not change the tattoo if your phone number changes, so this is a risky proposition. It is also much more expensive than an implant. However, this is a form of identification.

You can help prevent your dog from becoming lost by fencing the area around your residence. This does not have to be a chain link fence. You can install an invisible fence to keep your dog contained. Cats will just ignore all fences. If you want to keep your cat, keep her inside.

All family members should be in on the conspiracy to keep your cat or dog safe and indoors. If they do not see the importance of your animal not roaming the neighbourhood, you have already lost the fight. Safety starts at home.

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Author: National Missing Pets Register

Tagging my pets will do for me. There are information on it that any good citizens will be able to locate where my pet is from... But I don't think a fish will need one as of the moment.