Of the thousands of dogs taken into animal shelters each year, only a small percentage are reunited with their owners, according to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy. The American Humane Association wants to change that statistic. Starting April 5, AHA encourages all dog and cat owners to outfit their pets with proper identification as part of the Every Day Is Tag Day public awareness campaign.
“Most lost pets without tags are never reunited with their families,” said Marie Belew Wheatley, AHA president and CEO. Making sure their pets can be identified — with a tag, microchip or tattoo — is something all pet owners can do to help a lost pet return home, she added.
As part of the public awareness campaign, AHA offers these pet identification tips:
- Make sure your pet wears a collar with a current identification tag. The tag should include a contact name, address, and daytime and evening phone numbers.
- Keep information on the ID tag current — order new ones if your address or phone number change.
- When traveling, outfit your pet with a temporary tag that includes the information of where you’re staying and your cell phone number.
For more information about pet identification and the Every Day Is Tag Day campaign, visit the American Humane website.