That heart-stopping moment when you realize fido has gone missing. You left the front door cracked while you ran to the mailbox, the landscaper forgot to close the gate, or fido dug under the fence. You start to panic and hope that you’ve done everything right so they can be reunited as quickly as possible.

The good news is that you can prepare in advance to make reunification much easier. Below we’ll cover the top way you can protect fido:

Pet ID Tag

A Pet ID Tag is your dog's first line of protection in the event they go missing. Anyone they come in contact with should be able to easily read the ID and reach out to you.

What info should be on the ID?

• Dogs Name
• 1 - 2 Phone Numbers
• Dogs License Number if Required by the County/City/State

Should I put my address on the tag?
We don’t typically recommend it for a couple of reasons.

1. The more text you put on the tag the smaller the engraving. The person finding your dog doesn’t know them and isn’t going to want to get their face extremely close to read the small print.
2. Most people are not going to feel comfortable putting a strange dog in their car and driving them to your home. It would be better for them to call you to come and pick the dog up.
3. The dog could get out while on vacation or while not at home. It would be better if someone called your cell phone while you still in the area versus driving the dog back to your house.
4. The goal is to make reunification as easy as possible and require the least amount of effort on the person who finds fido. A phone call typically leads to the quickest reunification as not everyone has dogs or is comfortable with dogs.

When should the Pet ID be Worn?
The Pet ID should be worn by your dog at all times and include their name and 1 – 2 two numbers that you can be reached at.

Micro Chip

Even with a collar and Pet ID, every dog should be Microchipped. A microchip is roughly the size of a grain of rice and is injected under the loose skin between your dog’s shoulder blades at the vet’s office. It’s no more invasive than a vaccination. It contains an RFID (radio-frequency identification transponder) that carries a unique identification number. When the microchip is scanned by a vet or shelter, it transmits the ID number. There’s no battery, no power required, and no moving parts.

Why have a chip and a Pet ID?
As mentioned earlier, not everyone has pets or is comfortable with them. Imagine a non-dog owner finding Fido. Will they be willing to load them in the car? Do they know the location of a vet who can scan the chip? Are they willing to make the driver? Was fido lost at night, a weekend, or a holiday when the vet's office is closed? There are millions of situations where having both a Pet ID plus a Microchip is the right decision.

Take Your Dog on Walks

Take your dog for walks in the neighborhood, he’s more likely to get to know the area and be able to find his way home. If Fido is confident that he knows his surrounding, he’s more likely to make his way back home safely.

GPS Tracker

For the frequent escape artist, it might be time to invest in a GPS/Cellular tracking device. These devices from companies like Whistle can send notifications by email, text, or app when your pet leaves a designated safe place. Allowing you to quickly find them with location updates every 15 seconds.

With the right planning before fido gets out, reunification should go much more smoothly. Keep in mind to check pet ids at least once a year to make sure the information is up-to-date and easily readable. Click here to check out Red Dingo Premium Stainless Steel Pet IDs. Remember all Red Dingo tags here at DogTuff include a lifetime guarantee on all text. If it ever fades or becomes difficult to read, we’ll replace it free of charge.