Picking a Pet ID Tag for The Rhodesian Ridgeback

Picking a pet identification tag for your Rhodesian Ridgeback is like buying an insurance policy – you do it with the hopes that you’ll never use it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “actual price” of buying the pet tag itself.

The type of pet ID tag that you buy is important, so take five minutes or so to think it through. Whimsically buying a collar tag because it’s inexpensive or cute usually proves to be foolish, down the road.

Think about the following before choosing any pet identification tag for your Rhodesian Ridgeback:
1.What is the level of risk to your Rhodesian Ridgeback?
Lost Rhodesian Ridgebacks are very common – we have all seen “Lost Rhodesian Ridgeback!” signs tacked around town, or deceased Rhodesian Ridgebacks lying by the edge of the road. If your Rhodesian Ridgeback is a pro at hopping your fence, or cannot help following a scent, or young and spry, or isn’t properly trained, the risk of a lost Rhodesian Ridgeback is high.

But losing your Rhodesian Ridgeback isn’t the only risk.

Some Rhodesian Ridgebacks are stolen. A pet thief may steal Rover or Fido hoping to get a reward for its return, or to use in dog fights (even small or gentle dogs are at risk – they can be used as “bait”), or for use in religious rituals.

And what is the risk to your Rhodesian Ridgeback if something were to happen to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a Rhodesian Ridgeback, particularly if you live by yourself or are in poor 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 hit with a disaster or tragedy which renders you incapable of caring for your Rhodesian Ridgeback.

In this case, will your Rhodesian Ridgeback’s new or temporary caretaker know that Spot hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet identification that contains more than your phone number and name would be very beneficial.

2.What amount of risk are you comfortable with?
Some Rhodesian Ridgebacks are just more important to their owners, and the chance of losing that pet calls for a specific, more expensive kind of pet identification tag. Risk is directly proportional to value.

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

But for most Rhodesian Ridgeback owners, the companionship attachment they have to their Rhodesian Ridgeback determines its value. For many, Rhodesian Ridgebacks are like family, dearly loved and impossible to replace.

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 sizes, shapes and materials and can contain varying amounts of info. Some contain logos or artwork, too. Most pet identification tags are meant to be attached to a collar.

At a minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the address, phone number and name of the Rhodesian Ridgeback’s owner in a durable, legible format. Plastic tags are lightweight but easily chewed. Stainless steel tags are durable and don’t rust or fade. These customary types of tags can purchased from any veterinarian or pet store. They’re inexpensive however the amount of information they can display is limited to the size of the tag.

Fortunately, you have many more options of pet identification tags for your Rhodesian Ridgeback these days, such as microchipping, tattooing, digital display tags, pet registry web sites and voice recorded pet identification tags.

One of the recent entrants in the pet ID market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your Rhodesian Ridgeback’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which holds 64MB of data (including complete medical and diet information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy polymer case and can be used in any computer, where it is automatically updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your animal doctor or pet sitter. There also exist bluetooth trackers, but their range is small, because of bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Rhodesian Ridgebacks

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