Choosing a Pet Identification Tag for The Bergamasco Shepherd

Choosing a pet identification tag for your Bergamasco Shepherd is like buying an insurance policy – you do it with the devout wish that you won’t need it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “real cost” of buying the pet tag itself.

The kind of pet ID tag that you buy is important, so take 5 minutes or so to consider it. Whimsically buying a collar tag just because it’s cheap or cute often proves to be unwise, long-term.

Consider this before picking any pet identification tag for your Bergamasco Shepherd:
1.What is the amount of risk to your Bergamasco Shepherd?
Missing Bergamasco Shepherds are certainly common – we have all noticed “Lost Dog!” signs posted around town, or deceased dogs lying on the side of the road. If your Bergamasco Shepherd is a pro at jumping your fence, or can’t resist chasing a smell, or youthful and spry, or is not well trained, the chance of a missing Bergamasco Shepherd is high.

But losing your Bergamasco Shepherd isn’t the only concern.

Sometimes Bergamasco Shepherds are stolen. A pet thief may snatch Rover or Fido hoping to get a reward for its return, or to use in pit fights (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 Bergamasco Shepherd if something happens to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a Bergamasco Shepherd, especially if you live by yourself or are in poor health, there’s a high chance that at some point someone else will need to care for your furry friend, maybe with short notice. And anyone can be hit with a disaster or tragedy which renders you incapable of caring for your Bergamasco Shepherd.

In this case, will your Bergamasco Shepherd’s temporary or new caregiver know that Rover hates cats, or needs medication, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet identification that has more than your phone number and name would be extremely beneficial.

2.What amount of danger are you comfortable with?
Some Bergamasco Shepherds are just 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 determine the value of your Bergamasco Shepherd. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred Bergamasco Shepherd) or occupational (e.g., a guide dog).

But for most Bergamasco Shepherd owners, the sentimental attachment they have to their Bergamasco Shepherd determines its value. For many, Bergamasco Shepherds are like family, dearly loved and impossible to replace.

3.From your responses to the two previous questions, what do you require of a pet ID tag?

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

At a bare minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the name, address and phone number of the Bergamasco Shepherd’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are light but easily chewed. 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 inexpensive but the amount of information they hold is limited to the size of the tag.

Fortunately, you have many more options in pet identification tags for your Bergamasco Shepherd these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet identification tags, and pet registry websites.

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

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Bergamasco Shepherds

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