|
Categories
|
|
|
|
|
Dog Identification: Chips and Tattoos verses Licenses
By
Bill Knell
|
|
The trusty old dog license is
quickly being replaced as the primary method of
identifying lost dogs by microchips and tattooing. These
new identification procedures have experienced a huge rise
in popularity over the past couple of years, but there are
some very serious downsides to these methods that pet
owners may not have considered.
Many dog owners resentfully comply with local licensing
regulations thinking that their money is being wasted.
After all, why make your pet wear one of those annoying
metallic license tags when you can have them implanted
with a microchip or branded with a special identification
number? If those are your feelings as well, you might be
surprised to learn some troubling facts about alternative
identification methods not being widely discussed.
Microchips are not a universal solution to dog
identification. Many smaller breeds can be scarred by the
process or experience health problems as a result of the
implant. As a Chihuahua Breeder, I have heard more then a
few horror stories about Chips and Chi’s. Tattooing is
another non-option for small dog owners because it can and
does disfigure the animal. But it isn’t the process of
chipping or tattooing that bothers me as much as the
results of what can and has happened when chipped or
tattooed dogs are stolen.
Thefts of small or valuable dogs are on the rise. A
great-looking Chihuahua with or without papers is going
for well over five thousand American dollars today in
China. Stolen dogs are also in demand right here in the
United States. Puppies and mature dogs that produce them
can be worth a lot of cash. But what happens when a thief
who is familiar with the tattooing or implantation process
becomes aware that a dog they’ve stolen has been chipped
or tattooed? The answer is, too often, the unthinkable.
In a perfect world, your cute and cuddly pet accidentally
gets away from you and is later found by a pet lover or
animal control officer whose only concern is reuniting
owner and animal. In such a case, chipping or tattoos
work. But so do dog licenses! If a chipped or tattooed pet
falls into the wrong hands, it’s unlikely that the
animal will survive the ordeal anyway because it will have
no value. If an honest person finds your dog, the license
is there to reunite animal and owner.
Although most jurisdictions unfairly target breeders and
those who choose not to alter their dogs with higher fees,
dog licenses have become a necessary evil in a world of
irresponsible pet owners. With parvo, rabies and other pet
diseases on the rise, many areas have been left with few
options except to require proof of various shots along
with license fees to insure a healthy pet population in
their region. But along with higher fees and more
vaccination regulations, many licensing agencies now offer
perks to offset the charges and requirements.
A number of jurisdictions have simplified the process of
reuniting lost dogs and their owners. Many animal control
will first attempt to deliver a lost animal with a license
back to it’s home before taking it to an animal control
facility. This saves money all around and is a terrific
perk for those who were wise enough to license their pets.
Before you go hi-tech with your dog, make sure you
investigate all aspects of the procedure and eventual
results. Contact other pet owners who have already chipped
or tattooed their animals for feedback. Look for people
who have had success retrieving their dogs through those
identification methods and those who haven’t.
Remember, your dog is not a car that should automatically
be LoJacked because it has value. Your pet is a living
thing that is affected by what you do or have done to it.
Think before you act, don’t do it because it’s trendy
and consider the old tried and true method of a Dog
License as a means of identification.
|
About
The Author
Note:
Visit Cat’s Chihuahua Puppies for an
outstanding selection of quality dogs for
discerning pet owners. http://tiny.azpuppies.com |
|
|
|
<< Back to the Article Index
©
Copyright 2004, ArticleJunction.com
|
|
|
