Buying a Pet Identification Tag for The Rough Collie

Choosing a pet ID tag for your Rough Collie is like purchasing an insurance policy – you do so with the devout wish that you won’t use it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “actual cost” of purchasing the pet tag itself.

The kind of pet identification tag that you buy is vital, so take five minutes or so to think it through. Impulsively buying a collar tag because it’s low cost or cute usually ends up being unwise, long-term.

Consider the following before purchasing any pet identification tag for your Rough Collie:
1.What is the level of risk to your Rough Collie?
Missing Rough Collies are certainly common – we’ve all noticed “Lost Rough Collie!” signs posted around town, or dead Rough Collies lying by the side of the road. If your Rough Collie is a master at breaking through the fence, or can’t resist chasing a smell, or youthful and full of energy, or isn’t properly trained, the risk of a missing Rough Collie is high.

But losing your Rough Collie isn’t the only risk.

Some Rough Collies get stolen. A pet thief may take Rover or Spot in hopes of getting a reward for its return, or to use in dog fights (even small or gentle dogs are susceptible – they can be used for “bait”), or for use in cult rituals.

And what is the risk to your Rough Collie if something were to happen to you, its owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a Rough Collie, especially if you live by yourself or are in poor health, there’s a high chance that at some point someone else may need to care for your furry friend, perhaps with short notice. And anyone can be hit with a disaster or tragedy which renders you unable to care for your companion.

In this case, will your Rough Collie’s temporary or new caregiver know that Fido hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet identification that has more than your phone number and name would be very beneficial.

2.What amount of risk are you ok with?
Some Rough Collies are just more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that pet warrants a specific, more expensive type of pet identification tag. Risk is proportionate to value.

Note that there are several ways to assess the value of your Rough Collie. It may be financial (e.g., a purebred Rough Collie) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).

However for most Rough Collie owners, the companionship attachment they have with their Rough Collie sets its value. For many, Rough Collies are members of the family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

3.Based on your answers to the two previous questions, what do you require of a pet identification tag?

Pet identification tags come in various shapes, sizes and materials and can contain varying amounts of info. Some have logos or artwork, as well. Many pet ID tags are meant to be hung from a collar.

At a minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the Rough Collie’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are lightweight but chewed easily. Stainless steel tags don’t rust or fade and are durable. These traditional kinds of tags can bought from any animal doctor or pet store. They’re low cost yet the amount of information they can contain is limited to the size of the tag.

Fortunately, you have many more options in pet identification tags for your Rough Collie these days, such as microchipping, tattooing, digital display tags, pet registry web sites and voice recorded pet id tags.

One of the recent entrants in the pet identification market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your pet’s collar (or is attached to their cage) and which can hold 64MB of data (including comprehensive diet and medical information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy plastic case and can be plugged into any computer, where it is easily updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your vet or pet sitter. There also exist bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is low, because of bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Rough Collies

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