Picking a Pet Identification Tag for The West Siberian Laika

Buying a pet identification tag for your West Siberian Laika is like buying an insurance policy – you do it with the devout wish that you won’t need it. The “possible price” of not having a pet ID tag is more costly than the “real price” of buying the pet tag itself.

The kind of pet ID tag that you buy is crucial, so take 5 minutes or so to think it through. Impulsively choosing a collar tag just because it’s cheap or trendy usually proves to be a regret, down the road.

Consider this prior to picking any pet identification tag for your West Siberian Laika:
1.What is the amount of risk to your West Siberian Laika?
Lost West Siberian Laikas are certainly common – we’ve all noticed “Lost West Siberian Laika!” signs tacked around the city, or dead West Siberian Laikas lying by the edge of the road. If your West Siberian Laika is a pro at breaking through your fence, or cannot resist tracking a smell, or young and energetic, or isn’t correctly trained, the risk of a missing West Siberian Laika is high.

But losing your West Siberian Laika isn’t the only concern.

Sometimes West Siberian Laikas are stolen. A pet thief may snatch Fido or Fifi 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 as “bait”), or for use in cult rituals.

And what is the danger to your West Siberian Laika if something happens to you, its owner?

If you’re a senior citizen with a West Siberian Laika, particularly if you live alone or are in ill health, there’s a high chance that at some point someone else will need to care for your West Siberian Laika, perhaps with short notice. And anyone can be hit with a disaster or tragedy which leaves you unable to care for your companion.

In this instance, will your West Siberian Laika’s temporary or new caretaker know that Fido hates cats, or requires medicine, or even whether or not Max is housetrained? A pet ID tag that contains more than your name and phone number would be very beneficial.

2.What level of danger are you ok with?
Some West Siberian Laikas are just more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that pet demands a specific, more expensive type of pet ID tag. Risk is proportionate to value.

Keep in mind that there is more than one way to calculate the value of your West Siberian Laika. It may be monetary (e.g., a purebred West Siberian Laika) or functional (e.g., a guide dog).

However for most West Siberian Laika owners, the companionship attachment they have with their companion determines its value. For many people, West Siberian Laikas are members of the family, dearly loved and impossible to replace.

3.Using your answers to the two previous questions, what do you require of a pet ID tag?

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

At a bare minimum, a pet identification tag should contain the phone number, name and address of the West Siberian Laika’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are light but chewed easily. 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 cheap however the amount of info they hold is limited to the size of the tag.

Luckily, you have many more options in pet ID tags for your West Siberian Laika these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet id tags, and pet registry websites.

One of the newer entrants in the pet ID market is the high-tech USB drive that hangs off your West Siberian Laika’s collar (or is attached to their kennel) and which can hold 64MB of data (including comprehensive 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 veterinarian or pet sitter. There are also bluetooth devices for tracking, but their range is limited, because of bluetooth technological limits.

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about West Siberian Laikas

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