Buying a Pet Identification Tag for Your American Staffordshire Terrier

Picking a pet ID tag for your American Staffordshire Terrier is like purchasing insurance – you do so with the faith that you’re never going to use it. The “possible cost” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “actual price” of buying the pet tag itself.

The type of pet identification tag that you buy is vital, so take five minutes or so to consider it. Impulsively purchasing a collar tag just because it’s cheap or trendy usually proves to be foolish, long-term.

Think about this prior to choosing any pet identification tag for your American Staffordshire Terrier:
1.What is the amount of risk to your American Staffordshire Terrier?
Lost American Staffordshire Terriers are very common – we have all come across “Lost Dog!” signs tacked around town, or deceased American Staffordshire Terriers lying on the edge of the road. If your American Staffordshire Terrier is a master at breaking through your fence, or can’t resist tracking a smell, or youthful and vigorous, or isn’t properly trained, the chance of a missing American Staffordshire Terrier is high.

But losing your American Staffordshire Terrier isn’t the only risk.

Some American Staffordshire Terriers are stolen. A pet thief may snatch Rover or Spot in hopes of getting a reward for its return, or to use in pit battles (even small or gentle dogs are susceptible – they can be used as “bait”), or for use in cult rituals.

And what is the danger to your American Staffordshire Terrier if something happens to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior adult with a American Staffordshire Terrier, especially if you live alone or are in poor health, there’s a high chance that at some point someone else may need to care for your furry friend, maybe with little notice. And anyone can be hit with a tragedy or disaster that leaves you incapable of caring for your companion.

In this case, will your American Staffordshire Terrier’s temporary or new steward know that Spot hates cats, or requires medicine, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet identification that has more than your phone number and name would be extremely helpful.

2.What level of risk are you ok with?
Some American Staffordshire Terriers are simply more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal calls for a specific, higher priced type of pet identification tag. Risk is directly proportional to value.

Realize that there is more than one way to assess the value of your American Staffordshire Terrier. It may be financial (e.g., a purebred American Staffordshire Terrier) or occupational (e.g., a guide dog).

However for most American Staffordshire Terrier owners, the companionship attachment they have with their American Staffordshire Terrier determines its value. For many owners, American Staffordshire Terriers are family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

3.Using your responses to the two previous questions, what do you need in a pet ID tag?

Pet identification tags come in various materials, shapes and sizes and hold varying amounts of information. Some have artwork or logos, as well. Many pet ID tags are meant to be attached to a collar.

At a minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the American Staffordshire Terrier’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are lightweight but chewed easily. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These customary kinds of tags can bought from any animal doctor 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 American Staffordshire Terrier these days, such as microchipping, tattooing, digital display tags, pet registry web sites and voice recorded pet identification tags.

One of the recent entries in the pet ID market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs from your American Staffordshire Terrier’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which holds 64MB of data (including complete diet and medical information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy polymer case and can be used in any computer, where it is readily updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your veterinarian or pet sitter. There are also bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is limited, due to bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about American Staffordshire Terriers

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