Picking a pet identification tag for your Akita Inu is like buying an insurance policy – you do it with the devout wish that you won’t use it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “actual price” of buying the pet tag itself.
The kind of pet ID tag that you buy is important, so take 5 minutes or so to think it through. Whimsically choosing a collar tag just because it’s low cost or cute often ends up being foolish, down the road.
Consider this prior to choosing any pet identification tag for your Akita Inu:
1.What is the amount of risk to your Akita Inu?
Lost Akita Inus are certainly common – we have all seen “Lost Dog!” signs posted around town, or deceased dogs lying by the side of the road. If your Akita Inu is a master at jumping the fence, or can’t resist chasing a scent, or youthful and spry, or is not correctly trained, the possibility of a lost Akita Inu is high.
But losing your Akita Inu isn’t the only risk.
Some Akita Inus are stolen. A pet thief may snatch Spot or Rover hoping to get a reward for its return, or to use in pit battles (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 Akita Inu if something were to happen to you, the owner?
If you’re a senior adult with a Akita Inu, particularly if you live by yourself or are in ill health, there’s a good chance that at some point someone else will need to care for your Akita Inu, perhaps with little notice. And anyone can be struck by tragedy or disaster that renders you unable to care for your companion.
In this instance, will your Akita Inu’s temporary or new caregiver know that Spot hates cats, or requires medicine, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet identification that contains more than your name and phone number would be very beneficial.
2.What level of risk are you comfortable with?
Some Akita Inus are simply more important to their owners, and the chance of losing that pet demands a specific, more expensive type of pet ID tag. Risk is directly proportional to value.
Note that there are many ways to calculate the value of your Akita Inu. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred Akita Inu) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).
But for most Akita Inu owners, the emotional attachment they have with their Akita Inu determines its value. For many, Akita Inus are like family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.
3.From your answers to the two previous questions, what do you need in a pet ID tag?
Pet ID tags come in various materials, shapes and sizes and hold varying amounts of info. Some have artwork or logos, as well. Usually pet identification tags are designed to be hung from a collar.
At a minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the address, phone number and name of the Akita Inu’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are lightweight but easily chewed. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These traditional types of tags can bought from any vet or pet store. They’re low cost yet the amount of info they hold is limited to the size of the tag.
Fortunately, there are many more options of pet ID tags for your Akita Inu these days, such as microchipping, tattooing, digital display tags, pet registry web sites and voice recorded pet identification tags.
One of the newer entries in the pet identification market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your Akita Inu’s collar (or is attached to their cage) and which can hold 64MB of data (including complete medical and diet information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy polymer case and can be plugged into any computer, where it is automatically updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your vet or pet sitter. There are also bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is small, due to bluetooth technological limits.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Akita InusWas this post helpful? If so, please take a minute to Tweet and Share below on Facebook. I would also love to know your thoughts so leave me a comment 🙂
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