Recently a friend’s foster dog slipped her collar and was on the run for twelve days. Eventually this lucky pup made it home safely, but her story got me thinking about how prepared we’d be in the same terrifying position.
Traveling with your pet puts them in unfamiliar territory. If your dog or cat were startled and bolted, it’s unlikely they’d find their way back home. Learning from my friend’s experience, we’ve explored some ways to make Ty and Buster safer. Losing your pet would be a nightmare, but with some planning you can increase the chances that you’d get them back safe and sound.
Engraved Dog Tags
The importance of up-to-date ID tags for your pet is clear. Before we take off on a trip we make sure the information on the dog’s tags is current, including their names, medical conditions, prescription dosages, and our cell phone numbers.
I’m sure my friend had a very similar tag for her dog. The problem is, the dog slipped her collar just before she ran away. She had no visible form of identification.
In a situation like this, quick response and blanketing the neighborhood with information is vital. For us, traveling full-time means that we’re seldom close to our friends and family, and if one of the dogs were to go missing we’d likely be on our own looking for them. That’s where these nifty little tags from blanketID can help. Not only are they adorable, they offer the benefit of a virtual network.
blanketID Provides A Virtual Network
Like an engraved ID tag, the blanketID would allow someone who found your lost pet to reach you. Each tag has a specific ID number that is linked to an online account with your pet’s profile. Allergies, medications, distinguishing characteristics, and any other details you’d want someone who finds your pet to know are stored along with your contact information. And, it’s a cinch to update your account online if you move or change phone numbers – no need to buy a new tag!
But the real benefit is that North American customers have the ability to initiate a lost pet broadcast. When you notify blanketIDÂ that your pet is missing, they automatically email the SPCA, animal hospitals, shelters, and blanketID members in the area where your pet was last seen. The email includes your pet’s picture and a link to their online profile, so anyone who receives the email will know what your pet looks like and can identify them … even without their collar or tags.
blanketID also automatically generates lost pet posters with your contact information, your pet’s picture and all their important details. When time is of the essence, all you’d need to do is print them out and start papering the neighborhood.
It only takes a few minutes to set up each pet’s online profile, and the first year’s membership is included with the cost of the blanketID tag ($24.99). After the first year, the annual renewal is as little as $7.
Microchip Identification
Just to be sure all our bases covered Ty and Buster also have microchips – little electronic devices about the size of a grain of rice – embedded just under their skin between their shoulder blades. Most shelters and veterinarians have a scanning device, and if the boys were lost without their collars, this would be one way of identifying them. Any time we we change phone numbers, email, or mailing addresses, we make sure to update our contact information with the company that monitors the chips. Though it’s not as convenient as the online updating available with blanketID, it’s another layer of security for the dogs.
The microchips also come with a tag for your dog’s collar. It has the phone number of the monitoring company as well as the unique identification number assigned to your dog’s device. I put this on their collars so that if they boys were found, the person could call the monitoring company immediately and provide them with the microchip number – no need to take the dog to a facility with a microchip scanner.
Nothing is more important than keeping Ty and Buster safe, and that’s why they’ll now be wearing three tags – their engraved dog tags, their microchip tags, and their fancy new blanketID tags. I think with that combination we’ve done all we can to cover any lost dog scenario and give us the best chance of getting the boys back safely.
Planning a pet friendly trip of your own? We’ll make it easy:
Pet Friendly Hotels | Pet Friendly Destinations |  Pet Friendly Activities
