Neighborhood Pet Safety: The Importance of Pet Identification and Collars

When a pet dog or cat wears a collar it shows that they are owned and cared for by someone. A collar with up to date identification is a must for anyone who loves their pet and cares about their well being.

When a pet dog or cat wears a collar it shows that they are owned and cared for by someone. A collar with up to date identification is a must for anyone who loves their pet and cares about their well being. Almost any pet without a collar or tag is viewed as a stray animal. A stranger will be more likely to approach a pet that displays a collar with identification and vaccination tags. Because they feel that the animal is used to people and offers them little threat and is not a carrier of disease, pets that display a collar with identification can be safe from being taken from their homes. Even the cutest puppy or kitten can look like something that crawled out of a horror movie. Some pets come home dirty and discolored with matted fur, so imagine what your neighbors think when they see your pet ragamuffin roaming down the street.

Not only does your city's animal control patrol the neighborhoods and streets for stray animals, but so do members of the community, especially in neighborhoods where dog and cat strays are a problem. Citizens who reside in the community will trap any pet not wearing a collar and identification tag. Sometimes when your pet is trapped it is not done in the most humane way possible; some people don't like pets. Your trapped pet will either be dropped off in a patch of woods or in another neighborhood if they are lucky. Most likely your pet will be taken to a wildlife rescue or an animal shelter, where their future will remain uncertain in the hands of strangers.

The best collar for a pet that often goes outdoors is an adjustable collar that has a break away feature which causes the pet collar to unlatch itself in case your pet get tangled in some sort of obstacle. Living on a farm, I remember finding a cat that had not been seen for hours because it was caught in a huge bush. More than once I have had cats come home with their bottom jaw trapped below their collar so their mouth was being forced open and their bottom jaw dislocated. This kind of situation could lead a pet to wander into the road or into some other kind of treacherous or fatal condition. For the best selection of pet collars with the break away safety feature visit Pets Mart at one of their local stores or online at www.Petsmart.com.

The welfare of your animal is in your hands so do not let your pet down because they depend on you for everything. You are the world to your pet, so give them, and yourself, a little peace of mind by always keeping a collar with a current tag that displays the vaccination information of your dog or cat. It is very important to keep up to date identification so you may be contacted if your lost pet is ever found.