Don't Lose your Dog or Cat

[dragonflyspit]

I swear I'm not being paid in any way to advertise. I just have to tell other animal-loving travelers about this service because it's the best thing I can think of for traveling pet owners.

I buy all my tags from LuckyPet.com.

REASON #1:
I'm a paranoid dog mom, and I worry about my dogs getting lost while we're traveling. What if we're in an accident, or a cat slips out in a parking lot without my notice, or I'm searching for my lost dog out of cell range, etc.? It's never happened to me, but I have a cat that another RVer lost, and I've read a couple heart-wrenching Craigslist ads for dogs lost after car accidents.

For a one-time $10 fee, I'm enrolled for LIFE in their Owner Alert database. Anyone finding my dog or cat calls the 800 number on my tag, and LuckyPet calls every phone number, relative, friend, vet, etc. that I list with them until they find me. That means someone will track me down (or a responsible friend) even if, for example, I'm without my cell phone, hospitalized, or out of cell phone range. It's a one time charge and applies to all my tags, no additional fees for updating contact info, or anything else, and it never expires. For someone as itinerant as I am, this is a wonderful thing.

Furthermore, if you're a procrastinator like I am, it won't matter if you haven't updated your tags with new contact info. You just call immediately to do it when you lose a pet. You can't do that with a normal tag, and I used to see too many dogs wearing worthless, outdated ID in the shelter where I used to work because we couldn't get hold of the owners, and the owners didn't know where to look for their lost dog or cat (or they forgot the contact info was outdated).

REASON #2:
They just replaced my worn-out tags from 2007 for FREE. They even updated the replacements with my new contact info. They did it over the phone and I got the tags 3 days later. I almost felt guilty using the lifetime warranty. There was nothing wrong with the tags except that my active dogs each wears several tags, a bell, and a nightlight, so tags get beaten up.

REASON #3
Avid (pet microchip company) charges me $15 every time I update my contact information. That sucks, but I can give Avid (and HomeAgain, and 24PetWatch) my LuckyPet ID info, and thus circumvent the insane fees the microchip companies charge to update my contact info by just keeping it up to date with LuckyPet for free instead.

Besides all that, LuckyPet's customer service is fantastic, and they carry an enormous selection really good quality tags and other forms of ID in every conceivable style, including jeweled rags, slip-ons, and even embroidered collars so you don't have to mess with tags at all. Nice.

I know it sounds like I'm working for them or something, but I'm not. I've just worked rescue and rehab long enough to know the value of really good ID, and I've never seen or heard of a better system.

Hope this helps some other paranoid dog and cat people.

[dragonflyspit]

I am still wayne_tw wrote:

dragonflyspit wrote:

#4, chips must be reported lost or they don't work. Many people don't know that.

Totally untrue.

Maybe you should check your microchip company. I have a cat who was chipped by someone else (24PetWatch). All I had to do was have her scanned, and have the vet fax them a form stating her chip number, and for $15 I had her transferred into my name because she was never reported missing. It was that easy.

You might want to double-check your information before you state that mine is "totally untrue."

[Dog_Folks]

Oaklevel wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
Tags are good; you can never have enough contact information.

In my days of being an animal cop, I have to tell you that 90% of the loose dogs found DID NOT have a collar although the owners said they had one on when they got loose.

Microchips don't get lost. Only the earlier chips had a tendency to move, and we were trained to scan the entire animal, not just the shoulder area.

Not trying to start an argument but our vet told me he has seen many of the new chips move.... he checked ours & it has not moved but he said it still could.......Ours were put in 1 & 2 years ago both dogs are bigger dogs. He just wanted us to be aware.

Better Safe than Sorry. It is good information to pass on in case the person scanning has not been trained to check the whole animal.

[CatandJim]

Ours are micro-chipped and tagged. Their tags have two sides, one is for our home information the other has travel specific information (description & tag # of our motor home, etc.) just in case something happens while we are on the road. We do our best to keep them safe.

I don't think anyone is arguing or even debating about this topic. Keeping our pets as safe as possible and doing what we can to help get them back if lost, certainly should something we all can agree upon.

[Oaklevel]

Dog Folks wrote:
Tags are good; you can never have enough contact information.

In my days of being an animal cop, I have to tell you that 90% of the loose dogs found DID NOT have a collar although the owners said they had one on when they got loose.

Microchips don't get lost. Only the earlier chips had a tendency to move, and we were trained to scan the entire animal, not just the shoulder area.

Not trying to start an argument but our vet told me he has seen many of the new chips move.... he checked ours & it has not moved but he said it still could.......Ours were put in 1 & 2 years ago both dogs are bigger dogs. He just wanted us to be aware.

[I_am_still_wayn]

dragonflyspit wrote:

#4, chips must be reported lost or they don't work. Many people don't know that.

Totally untrue.

[Dog_Folks]

Tags are good; you can never have enough contact information.

In my days of being an animal cop, I have to tell you that 90% of the loose dogs found DID NOT have a collar although the owners said they had one on when they got loose.

Microchips don't get lost. Only the earlier chips had a tendency to move, and we were trained to scan the entire animal, not just the shoulder area.

[Oaklevel]

We use a chip & a tag with our contact info.........Cell and home phone numbers. Our vet warned me that chips can move & become hard to locate in the animal...so it can appear that they don't have one....... good idea that when you are at the vet get them to check it.

[WandaLust2]

All our cats are microchipped.

[dragonflyspit]

JCGibson wrote:
AKC Companion Animal Recovery program does charge a one time enrollment fee of 17.50. You can enroll any pet ID chip from other companies with them. AFter the enrollment fee there is no annual fee. Our dog received the AKC chip and our cat received one from Petfinder. I was able to transfer the Petfinder number over to AKC. Also, AKC will send texts to your phone which come through many times you don't have enough of a signal to do a voice call.

That's good info. Texting is great. I don't know whether LuckyPet also texts. But how does ithe AKC system work? Last I knew, the scanners read out the microchip number and manufacturer, then the shelter, vet, finder, etc., has to call the manufacturer for the contact info. How can the AKC system change that? Scanners still read the same info, right? How would anyone know to contact AKC? PM me if you don't want to post it. I'll also research it because I'd like to know more.

Still, even with that, I'd add a tag with Owner Alert because it's right there on the tag - no driving to a vet or shelter.

I don't think it's possible to be too cautious.

[JCGibson]

AKC Companion Animal Recovery program does charge a one time enrollment fee of 17.50. You can enroll any pet ID chip from other companies with them. AFter the enrollment fee there is no annual fee. Our dog received the AKC chip and our cat received one from Petfinder. I was able to transfer the Petfinder number over to AKC. Also, AKC will send texts to your phone which come through many times you don't have enough of a signal to do a voice call.

[dragonflyspit]

rockhillmanor wrote:
Tags and collars come off and are taken off...

I do both I have an address/phone 'simple' dog tag and all of them are chipped. If my dog is lost I want MY number on a tag so they can call me immediately. JMHO

Your phone number IS ON THIS TAG. Like any tag, you put any contact info on it that you want, but LuckyPet adds the additional number for insurance.

FYI, 2 collars is a good idea. I use a martingale and a thin strap collar because I can't count how many times I had people call the shelter to say they grabbed a stray dog by the collar and the collar came off. I've also seen the plastic buckles open when grabbed or when hit by a car. It never hurts to be more cautious.

I'm not sure whether my post was too long for people to read it all or what the issue is, but I can't believe people would actually argue AGAINST using a cheap, easy, and very useful service to help get their pets back! I love my animals, and a one time EVER $10 fee to enter every one of them in this database is amazing to me. My tags are so much better because of it, AND my microchips also work better.

[dragonflyspit]

I have to disagree with you about microchips. My animals all have both, but I only consider a microchip as backup ID.

In order for a microchip to work:

#1, the finder has to know enough to take the animal to a vet or shelter to be scanned, and I don't want to depend on the knowledge and ambition of someone else in order to get my dog or cat back.

#2, the finder has to take the incentive to do it, which many don't.

#3, a vet or shelter must be close, which isn't always the case for us travelers (I stay on BLM and National Forest lands sometimes over 50 miles from a vet or shelter).

#4, chips must be reported lost or they don't work. Many people don't know that. So if I'm out of cell range when my dog or cat is lost, then my chip is useless until I drive into phone range. I want to look for my lost animal, not Chase around for cell coverage. Theoretically, someone could pickup my animal, have it scanned, and because I haven't yet been able to report it missing, not be able to contact me.

#5 vets and shelters are often closed evenings and weekends. I want someone to be able to call me immediately - not have to wait until Monday, and/or drive several miles with my dog or cat in their car. The finder might not even have a car. And they almost certainly won't have a carrier for a cat. Do you really want someone driving around with your dog or cat, with no carrier or leash, just to find out IF they have a microchip? I don't want someone else to lose my cat somewhere else while they are trying to find out if it has a chip.

#6, I'm pretty sure HomeAgain is still the only microchip company that doesn't charge to update your contact info. Avid and 24PetWatch I think both charge $15 for EACH pet, up to $45. That's a lot of money if you move often with several pets. I have 6 pets and 3 different microchip brands.

I recommend chips, but you also need a really good tag, and the Owner Alert system is better than any ordinary tag.

[PapPappy]

Personally, we microchip our dogs, and have tags when we go out with them.
Others are right, if the dog is stolen, nothing will really matter....as far as ID is concerned.
I would recommend having a second tag (in addition to the county License) that has your Cell number, so that even when you are out of town (with the RV) and the house number won't do much good!!

[rockhillmanor]

Tags and collars come off and are taken off. No micro chip and your pet isn't coming home any time soon. JMHO

Micro chipping is the best and surest way to go to get your pet back, it's permanent and everyone has multi company readers now. And it can help for the stolen pet too in some instances that they try to resell, or a suspicious trip to the vet etc.

I do both I have an address/phone 'simple' dog tag and all of them are chipped. If my dog is lost I want MY number on a tag so they can call me immediately. JMHO