Pet Identification

When having your pet spayed or neutered, your veterinary clinic will ask you whether you would like a microchip and/or tattoo for your pet.  Both of these procedures are recommended for identification of your pet should he/she ever get lost.

A microchip is a small chip injected under your pet’s skin, between the shoulder blades, and is encoded with a number combination unique to your pet.  This information is registered with the microchip company and should your pet ever go missing, any veterinary clinic will be able to scan your pet for the microchip and trace it, in order to reunite you with your pet.

A tattoo is put into the right ear of your pet to identify that he or she has been spayed or neutered.  Each veterinary clinic has a letter specified to them.  Each year is given a specific letter as well.   A tattoo will consist of a combination of letters and numbers that is unique to your pet.  This enables veterinary clinics to trace your pet  through it’s tattoo to reunite you should he or she ever go missing.

As well as these permanent identification methods, your pet should always be wearing a collar with ID tags.  It is useful to someone should they ever find your pet, to simply look on a tag that contains the pet’s name, the owner’s phone number and address.  Pet ID tags can be made at most pet stores or ordered through your veterinary clinic.

New! A new product has recently taken pet ID to the next level.  Pet owners can now purchase a USB memory device that attatches to their pet’s collar.  From their computer, owners can now load the memory device with all kinds of helpful information including the pet owner’s information (address, phone number etc.), the pet’s information (name, age, breed and any allergies or medical conditions), and even a picture of the pet.  The finder of the pet can simply plug the device into their computer and instantly trace the pet back to it’s owner.