If you have ever lost a pet, you will understand why a dog tag is crucial. It is always better to be prepared in case your dog goes missing. You don’t want to wish you had done it after the fact.
So now that I’ve addressed the reason for getting one (and putting it on your dog), you might be wondering what information you should put on it. Believe it or not, your dog’s name is not the number 1 thing to put on the tag. In fact, if you do put your dog’s name, you’re actually doing more harm than good, since you’re giving potential dognappers key information. Many folks are not really aware of the number of dogs that get stolen every year. Remember, the most important purpose of your dog tag is to get your dog safely home if he wanders off.
1. Phone Number
When most people find your dog wandering, they will immediately look at the dog tag for a phone number to call you. If you leave that off, your chances of getting your dog back significantly reduces. It might be helpful to add more than one number just in case.
2. Your Name
Yes, this means YOUR name, not your dog’s. As I mentioned earlier, if your dog is lost, there’s really no reason to know your dog’s name. If anybody is close enough to read the phone number, that should be good enough. Your name on the tag is helpful to know who to ask for. Also in case the phone number didn’t work.
3. Your Resident Address
Especially helpful for those who travel frequently, an address is helpful to know just how far away a dog is from home. If your dog didn’t wander very far, some might just return him/her to your home. Either way, hopefully they call ahead of time (which is why a phone number is #1 on the list).
4. Short Message
If your dog is taking daily meds, you could add that at the bottom. It will convey a sense of urgency to get the dog back home since they won’t know how long the dog has been away from home. You can also add “Reward if Found” message on the tag, assuming you’re willing to pay up when the time comes.
It may not be possible to fit all this on a dog tag. Some people choose to double-tag their collars so that one contains name and phone number and the other contains the address and message.
My First Tag Says:
NEEDS DAILY MEDS
NATHAN CROCKETT
(999) 999 – 9999
And the Second Tag Says:
123 MAIN STREET
GREENVILLE, SC
REWARD IF FOUND
