Don't Let Your Dog Leave Home Without It!

Dog tags come in many sizes, colors, patterns, metals, and trims! Every pet owner needs to put a little bling on their dog to increase its likelihood of being returned home in case they should get separated. The following true story prompted me to write this article.

I had a very much loved dog die in my arms on Jan.1, 06. She was a sixteen year old boxer/pit mix and I'd had her since she was six months old.

Unfortunately, in her younger years, she was an escape artist!! She was an indoor dog, and was put out on a runner for exercise and to "use the bathroom". Whenever anyone came to the door, I had to get hold of her collar before the door was opened, or she was OUT and gone! Quite a runner she was, too!

Over a sixteen year period there were many "searches" for Baby. It got to the point that neighbors automatically helped out in finding her. She liked certain ones better than others and would come to them even while ignoring the family, because she just wasn't ready to go back inside yet!!

When she was fourteen, someone accidentally let her out, but this time was different. Night came and she hadn't returned home, or been seen by anyone. I was extremely upset. I couldn't find her anywhere. I put ads with her picture on them at the local stores, in the paper, checked the animal shelter daily, and drove around looking for her. I could hardly sleep, for worrying about what might have happened to her, or where she may be.

After three very long weeks, the phone rang, and a man asked if I was missing a dog named Baby. I said yes, but was afraid to ask if he had found her dead or alive. He told me where to come, and I grabbed my keys and took off. When I got to the man's home, he said his son had found a dog in an abandoned old car that was up on a hill in the woods. This was over three miles from my home. They took me up the hill in their four wheel drive truck, and I approached the old wreck of a car with my heart thumping wildly. There in the floorboard lay my Baby!! She had lost so much weight you could see every bone, and she had wood ticks all over her. But I spoke to her, and picked her up, and she snuggled against me as if to say, I knew you'd come get me eventually! Thank God for ID tags!

You better believe that after that incident, which she healed from very nicely, I was even more vigilant about open doors! However, that was not her last escape.

Thankfully, she never left our property after her three weeks of being lost, but I still had a couple of scares.

I was fortunate enough to be able to keep her at home, and when she could no longer walk, I cared for her like she was a little old lady, which she was, at 16! And on January 1, she managed to convey to me that something was different about that day. I didn't go in to work, but stayed at home with her. She died peacefully cuddled in my arms.

You cannot keep a part of your family on a chain all the time, and just like with anything else, accidents can happen. So be prepared. ALWAYS have your dog's ID tag on them, unless they're in the bathtub!!

You can get pet ID tags from many sources. My favorite place to order puppy shots, and other pet needs is Doctors Foster and Smith.

You can read more about keeping your pets safely tagged at the following links.

Nametags: The Best Insurance for Lost Pets

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=1031

If you want something a bit fancier, visit

Animal Stars, Inc.

http://www.animalstars.com/jeweled_tags.html

The article listed below is at a site that advocates for pets wearing ID, but is not selling anything:

Why Pet Identification is So Important!

http://members.aol.com/TesterDesp/ID-importance.html