Choosing a Pet Identification Tag for The Papillon

Choosing a pet ID tag for your Papillon is like buying an insurance policy – you do so with the faith that you’re never going to need it. The “possible cost” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “actual price” of purchasing the pet tag itself.

The kind of pet identification tag that you buy is vital, so take 5 minutes or so to think it through. Whimsically buying a collar tag because it’s inexpensive or pretty often ends up being unwise, in the long term.

Think about the following before picking any pet identification tag for your Papillon:
1.What is the amount of risk to your Papillon?
Lost Papillons are very common – we’ve all seen “Lost Dog!” signs tacked around town, or deceased dogs lying on the edge of the road. If your Papillon is a master at jumping your fence, or cannot help chasing a smell, or youthful and spry, or is not properly trained, the chance of a missing Papillon is high.

But losing your Papillon isn’t the only risk.

Some Papillons are stolen. A pet thief may snatch Fido or Fifi in hopes of getting a reward for its return, or to use in dog battles (even small or gentle dogs are at risk – they can be used for “bait”), or for use in satanic rituals.

And what is the danger to your Papillon if something were to happen to you, its owner?

If you’re a senior adult with a Papillon, 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, maybe with little notice. And anyone can be struck by tragedy or disaster which leaves you unable to care for your Papillon.

In this case, will your Papillon’s temporary or new steward know that Fifi hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet identification that has more than your name and phone number would be very helpful.

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

Keep in mind that there is more than one way to assess the value of your Papillon. It may be financial (e.g., a purebred Papillon) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).

But for most Papillon owners, the relationoship attachment they have to their companion sets its value. For many people, Papillons are like family, dearly loved and impossible to replace.

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

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

At the minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the address, phone number and name of the Papillon’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are light but easily chewed. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These traditional types of tags can purchased from any veterinarian or pet store. They’re economical yet the amount of information they hold is limited to the size of the tag.

Luckily, you have many more options of pet ID tags for your Papillon these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet identification tags, and pet registry websites.

One of the newest entries in the pet identification game is the high-tech USB drive that hangs from your pet’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which can hold 64MB of data (including comprehensive diet and medical information). The tiny 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 veterinarian or pet sitter. There also exist bluetooth trackers, but their range is limited, because of bluetooth technological limits.

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

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