Picking a Pet ID Tag for The Russell Terrier

Buying a pet identification tag for your Russell Terrier is like buying insurance – you do it with the hopes that you won’t use it. The “possible cost” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “actual cost” of purchasing the pet tag itself.

The kind of pet identification tag that you buy is crucial, so take 5 minutes or so to think it through. Impulsively purchasing a collar tag because it’s cheap or pretty often ends up being a regret, in the long term.

Consider the following prior to buying any pet identification tag for your Russell Terrier:
1.What is the level of risk to your Russell Terrier?
Lost Russell Terriers are definitely common – we have all come across “Lost Russell Terrier!” signs tacked around the city, or deceased Russell Terriers lying by the edge of the road. If your Russell Terrier is a master at hopping the fence, or cannot resist chasing a smell, or young and energetic, or is not well trained, the risk of a missing Russell Terrier is high.

But losing your Russell Terrier isn’t the only possibility.

Sometimes Russell Terriers are stolen. A pet thief may snatch Fido or Fifi hoping to get a reward for its return, or to use in dog battles (even small or gentle dogs are at risk – they can be used as “bait”), or for use in satanic rituals.

And what is the risk to your Russell Terrier if something happens to you, its owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a Russell Terrier, especially 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 little notice. And anyone can be hit with a disaster or tragedy that renders you unable to care for your companion.

In this case, will your Russell Terrier’s temporary or new caregiver know that Fifi hates cats, or requires medicine, 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 risk are you ok with?
Some Russell Terriers are simply more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal warrants a specific, higher priced kind of pet ID tag. Risk is directly proportional to value.

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

However for most Russell Terrier owners, the emotional attachment they have with their companion sets its value. For many, Russell Terriers are like family, dearly loved and impossible to replace.

3.Based on your answers to the two previous questions, what do you require of a pet identification tag?

Pet ID tags come in varying shapes, sizes and materials and hold varying amounts of information. Some have logos or artwork, too. Most pet ID tags are meant to be hung from a collar.

At a bare minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the Russell Terrier’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 customary types of tags can bought from any animal doctor or pet store. They’re economical however the amount of info they hold is limited to the size of the tag.

Luckily, there are many more options of pet ID tags for your Russell Terrier these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet id tags, and pet registry websites.

One of the most recent entrants in the pet ID market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs from your pet’s collar (or is attached to their cage) 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 plugged into any computer, where it is automatically updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your animal doctor or pet sitter. There are also bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is small, because of bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Russell Terriers

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