Lost DogsLost dogs happen every day to people just like you and me. If your favorite friend is lost or stolen, it will be nearly impossible for others to identify him or help him find his way home without the proper identification. Recent studies have shown that only about 3 of every hundred that are lost or stolen ever find their way back home. Even the most responsible owners occasionally experience the loss of a pet due to circumstances beyond their control. Identifying your pet is crucial if it gets lost or stolen. Here are the most common Identification methods: All dogs should have a collar with an ID tag that includes your name, your dog's name, your address and phone number, and if you are willing to pay a reward for the return of your dog, put the word "reward" on the tag as well. If you are traveling with your dog, include an additional tag that lists contact information of someone that will know how to reach you.
If you do lose your pet--don't hesitate--take immediate action. • Phone your local animal shelter straight off.
• Some local radio stations give air time to people looking for lost pets--ask if yours does?
• Likewise, the lost-and-found section of your local newspaper is a top resource.
• Do nail up some flyers--with a photo--around the neighbourhood. This one is a must.
Pet ID tags are an efficient means of quickly helping to find lost dogs. A wide range exists. They are as cheap, or as expensive as you want them to be. Why not do your dog and yourself a big favour---and get one? If a dog ID tag is your 1st line of defense---tattooing or using a microchip is definetly the next level of protection for a lost pet.
Tattoos are permanent ID tags that involve marking a code on the dog's skin. If your pet is lost, the person finding your loved one can call a database and use the code marked on the dog's skin to obtain the contact information of the owners. This can also be an invaluable procedure should your pet be stolen and sold to a testing laboratory. The laboratory will know immediately that this is not a stray, but a beloved pet. Microchips are tiny electronic devices that can be imbedded under a dog's skin. When a lost dog is found, any organization having a scanner, which includes many veterinarians, animal control centers, and research labs, can scan the chip and identify the owner of the pet quickly.
How microchips work: According to the two main manufacturers, AVID and Destron Fearing, microchips used in pet identification and recovery are programmed to store a unique, permanent identification number. The chip and an antenna are sealed in an airtight, biocompatible capsule made of glass. The entire mechanism can range in size from less than half an inch to a little over an inch in length. The average microchip is about the size of a grain of rice. The device itself contains no battery, and its electronic circuitry is only activated when it is being scanned.
The method of implanting the microchip is very much like administering a vaccination. A sterile applicator is used to inject the microchip just under the skin at the back of the dog's neck, between the shoulder blades. To avoid migration (movement from the original implant site), one company uses a patented sheath to promote bonding between fibrous tissue and the microchip capsule. Although this may sem extreme, if you have every lost a pet, it is more than worth it. Lost dogs can cause extreme depression in some people and without ways to locate our friends the search may be hopeless.
Once the microchip is successfully implanted, it can be "read" using a scanning device. The scanner emits a low-frequency radio signal, activating the microchip. The microchip then sends the unique identification number back to the scanner. After the information is encoded, the scanner displays the number on its LCD display. The number is then entered into a database, along with the proper contact information. Programs like the American Kennel Club (AKC) 
Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) program maintain worldwide databases so they can help reunite
lost dogs
with their families. According to the AKC CAR, more than 900,000 pets and companion animals have been registered in its database, which does include tattooed animals, and almost 50,000 pets have been reunited with their families.
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