Lost Pet Prevention

A personal reflection from a pet parent about the importance of lost pet prevention on the 4th of July.

6 important tips to create a safe space for your dog on the 4th of July

Long, long ago - like 15k - 30k years ago

Dogs and humans start hangin' together

1604

Shakespeare's dog makes collars fashionable.*

1864

Dog tags make their debut in the Civil War.

1880

Alexander Graham Bell puts his number on his pup's tag.*

I’m not gonna sugarcoat this...my dog, Penny, is a jerk. She's a reactive dog who, although she has come a long way, acts a little (OK, a lot) nuts sometimes... especially in an unfamiliar environment. My biggest fear is what will happen if she gets lost.

Here at PetHub, we think it’s high time to have a serious talk about identification tags and leaving the old “pet-name-and-one-phone-number” etched tags in the past.

Today’s digital pet ID tags are not your grand-daddy’s dog tags. Pet identification tags have come a LONG way in just the last few years, folks, and if you’re still putting a $7 dollar circle of etched, one-name-and-number, aluminum on your dog or cat’s collar, your pets are missing out on powerful protection.  

When you pass another dog on your walk, or see a cat crossing the road, they are wearing a collar or harness with ID attached, right? If you saw that same pet lounging around on the couch, chances are they might be naked, or sans ID. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) recently found that only 33 percent of pet parents said they keep ID tags on their dogs and cats at all times.

That means, at one point or another, the majority of pets aren’t wearing identification that can help get them home if the worst happens. This is a real problem folks.

Today we lead busy lives and it's common for families to have multiple phone numbers. It's important to associate all of the phone numbers, plus any other contacts that may be able to help your pet get home, with your pet. That's not possible with traditional pet ID tags but it is possible with an smart tag that links to a comprehensive online profile.