Picking a pet identification tag for your Chinook is like purchasing an insurance policy – you do so with the faith that you won’t use it. The “possible cost” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “actual cost” of purchasing the pet tag itself.
The type of pet ID tag that you buy is crucial, so take five minutes or so to consider it. Impulsively purchasing a collar tag just because it’s low cost or trendy usually ends up being a regret, in the long term.
Consider this prior to buying any pet identification tag for your Chinook:
1.What is the amount of risk to your Chinook?
Lost Chinooks are definitely common – we have all come across “Lost Chinook!” signs posted around the city, or dead dogs lying by the edge of the road. If your Chinook is a pro at escaping the fence, or cannot help chasing a scent, or young and energetic, or isn’t well trained, the chance of a missing Chinook is high.
But losing your Chinook isn’t the only possibility.
Sometimes Chinooks get stolen. A pet thief may steal 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 for “bait”), or for use in religious rituals.
And what is the danger to your Chinook if something were to happen to you, the owner?
If you’re a senior citizen with a Chinook, particularly if you live alone or are in poor health, there’s a good 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 tragedy or disaster which renders you unable to care for your companion.
In this case, will your Chinook’s temporary or new caretaker know that Spot hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet identification that has more than your phone number and name would be very beneficial.
2.What level of danger are you ok with?
Some Chinooks are just more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that pet warrants a specific, more expensive type of pet identification tag. Risk is proportional to value.
Keep in mind that there are multiple ways to determine the value of your Chinook. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred Chinook) or occupational (e.g., a guide dog).
However for most Chinook owners, the relationoship attachment they have to their Chinook determines its value. For many people, Chinooks are like family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.
3.From your responses to the two previous questions, what do you require of a pet ID tag?
Pet identification tags come in various shapes, sizes and materials and hold varying amounts of information. Some have logos or artwork, as well. Many pet ID tags are designed to be attached to a collar.
At a bare minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the Chinook’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are light but easily chewed. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These traditional kinds of tags can gotten from any vet or pet store. They’re low cost but the amount of info they hold is limited to the size of the tag.
Luckily, you have many more options for pet ID tags for your Chinook these days, such as microchipping, tattooing, digital display tags, pet registry web sites and voice recorded pet id tags.
One of the most recent entries in the pet ID market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your pet’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) 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 used in any computer, where it is easily updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your veterinarian or pet sitter. There also exist bluetooth trackers, but their range is severely limited, because of bluetooth technological limits.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about ChinooksWas 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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