Choosing a Pet ID Tag for The Greyhound

Picking a pet identification tag for your Greyhound is like buying insurance – you do it with the hopes that you’re never going to use it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “actual cost” of purchasing the pet tag itself.

The kind of pet identification tag that you buy is important, so take five minutes or so to think it through. Whimsically picking a collar tag just because it’s inexpensive or trendy often ends up being foolish, down the road.

Think about the following before picking any pet identification tag for your Greyhound:
1.What is the level of risk to your Greyhound?
Lost Greyhounds are certainly common – we have all seen “Lost Greyhound!” signs plastered around the city, or dead Greyhounds lying along the side of the road. If your Greyhound is a master at breaking through your fence, or can’t help tracking a smell, or young and full of energy, or isn’t properly trained, the risk of a missing Greyhound is high.

But losing your Greyhound isn’t the only concern.

Sometimes Greyhounds get stolen. A pet thief may snatch Spot or Rover in hopes of getting a reward for its return, or to use in pit battles (even small or gentle dogs are at risk – they can be used for “bait”), or for use in cult rituals.

And what is the danger to your Greyhound if something happens to you, its owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a Greyhound, especially if you live alone or are in ill health, there’s a good chance that at some point someone else may need to care for your furry friend, perhaps with little notice. And anyone can be struck by tragedy or disaster which renders you incapable of caring for your companion.

In this instance, will your Greyhound’s new or temporary caretaker know that Fido hates cats, or requires medication, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet ID tag that has more than your name and phone number would be extremely helpful.

2.What amount of risk are you ok with?
Some Greyhounds are simply more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal demands a specific, more expensive type of pet identification tag. Risk is proportionate to value.

Keep in mind that there are many ways to calculate the value of your Greyhound. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred Greyhound) or occupational (e.g., a guide dog).

But for most Greyhound owners, the relationoship attachment they have to their Greyhound determines its value. For many, Greyhounds are like family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

3.Based on your responses to the two previous queries, what do you require of a pet ID tag?

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

At the minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the name, address and phone number of the Greyhound’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are light 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 cheap however the amount of information they can display is limited to the size of the tag.

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

One of the newest entries in the pet ID game is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your pet’s collar (or is attached to their cage) and which holds 64MB of data (including complete diet and medical information). The tiny USB drive is encased in a sturdy polymer case and can be plugged into 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 severely limited, due to bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Greyhounds

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