Picking a Pet Identification Tag for The Australian Cattle Dog

Choosing a pet ID tag for your Australian Cattle Dog is like buying insurance – you do so with the faith that you won’t need it. The “possible cost” of not having a pet ID tag is more expensive than the “real price” of buying the pet tag itself.

The type of pet identification tag that you buy is crucial, so take five minutes or so to consider it. Whimsically buying a collar tag just because it’s cheap or cute usually ends up being unwise, long-term.

Consider the following prior to picking any pet id tag for your Australian Cattle Dog:
1.What is the level of risk to your Australian Cattle Dog?
Missing Australian Cattle Dogs are definitely common – we’ve all seen “Lost Dog!” signs plastered around town, or deceased dogs lying by the side of the road. If your Australian Cattle Dog is a pro at escaping the fence, or can’t resist following a smell, or youthful and vigorous, or isn’t well trained, the risk of a missing Australian Cattle Dog is high.

But losing your Australian Cattle Dog isn’t the only risk.

Some Australian Cattle Dogs get stolen. A pet thief may snatch Rover or Spot hoping to get 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 satanic rituals.

And what is the danger to your Australian Cattle Dog if something happens to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a Australian Cattle Dog, particularly if you live by yourself or are in ill 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 struck by disaster or tragedy which leaves you unable to care for your companion.

In this instance, will your Australian Cattle Dog’s new or temporary caregiver know that Fifi hates cats, or needs medicine, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet ID tag that has more than your name and phone number would be extremely helpful.

2.What amount of danger are you comfortable with?
Some Australian Cattle Dogs are simply more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that pet warrants a specific, higher priced type of pet ID tag. Risk is proportionate to value.

Realize that there are several ways to calculate the value of your Australian Cattle Dog. It may be financial (e.g., a purebred Australian Cattle Dog) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).

But for most Australian Cattle Dog owners, the emotional attachment they have to their companion sets its value. For many owners, Australian Cattle Dogs are members of the family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

3.From your answers to the two previous queries, what do you require of a pet identification tag?

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

At a minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the address, phone number and name of the Australian Cattle Dog’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 types of tags can purchased from any animal doctor or pet store. They’re cheap but the amount of information they can display is limited to the size of the tag.

Luckily, you have many more options for pet identification tags for your Australian Cattle Dog these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet id tags, and pet registry websites.

One of the newest entries 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 holds 64MB of data (including complete diet and medical information). The small USB drive is encased in a sturdy polymer case and can be plugged into any computer, where it is easily updated and easy to print sections for sharing with your vet or pet sitter. There also exist bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is limited, because of bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Australian Cattle Dogs

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