Picking a Pet Identification Tag for Your American Akita

Buying a pet ID tag for your American Akita is like buying insurance – you do it with the faith that you’re never going to need 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 type of pet identification tag that you buy is vital, so take 5 minutes or so to consider it. Impulsively buying a collar tag because it’s cheap or pretty often ends up being a regret, down the road.

Consider this prior to purchasing any pet identification tag for your American Akita:
1.What is the amount of risk to your American Akita?
Missing American Akitas are definitely common – we have all seen “Lost Dog!” signs plastered around town, or dead dogs lying along the edge of the road. If your American Akita is a master at tunneling under your fence, or cannot help tracking a scent, or youthful and spry, or is not correctly trained, the chance of a lost American Akita is high.

But losing your American Akita isn’t the only possibility.

Some American Akitas get stolen. A pet thief may steal Rover or Spot in hopes of getting a reward for its return, or to use in pit fights (even small or gentle dogs are at risk – they can be used as “bait”), or for use in cult rituals.

And what is the risk to your American Akita if something happens to you, the owner?

If you’re a senior adult with a American Akita, particularly if you live alone or are in poor health, there’s a good chance that at some point someone else may need to care for your American Akita, perhaps with short notice. And anyone can be struck by disaster or tragedy that renders you incapable of caring for your American Akita.

In this instance, will your American Akita’s temporary or new caretaker know that Fifi hates cats, or requires medicine, or even whether or not Max is potty trained? A pet ID tag that has more than your phone number and name would be very helpful.

2.What level of danger are you comfortable with?
Some American Akitas are just more important to their owners, and the risk of losing that particular animal demands a specific, more expensive type of pet identification tag. Risk is proportionate to value.

Keep in mind that there are multiple ways to calculate the value of your American Akita. It may be financial (e.g., a purebred American Akita) or occupational (e.g., a guide dog).

However for most American Akita owners, the relationoship attachment they have to their American Akita determines its value. For many owners, American Akitas are members of the family, impossible to replace and dearly loved.

3.Using your responses to the two previous questions, what do you need in a pet ID tag?

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

At a minimum, a pet ID tag should contain the address, phone number and name of the American Akita’s owner in a legible, durable format. Plastic tags are light but chewed easily. Stainless steel tags don’t rust or fade and are durable. These customary kinds of tags can gotten from any vet or pet store. They’re economical however the amount of information they hold is limited to the size of the tag.

Luckily, there are many more options in pet identification tags for your American Akita these days, such as tattooing, microchipping, digital display tags, voice recorded pet id tags, and pet registry websites.

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

Don’t forget to check out these other articles about American Akitas

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