Lost And Found – Using Technology To Bring Pets Home

What would you do if you came home and found your dog or cat missing? We think about these things but do we really know what to do if that were to actually happen?

It is great to choose one of these options but better to use a combination of two or more. For example, having you pet microchipped and getting a registered ID tag .

Microchipping is still the top of the line safety device and must have to bring pets home safely and quickly. The Humane Society charges around $50 for this simple procedure or your local vet can do it at his or her office. The best aspects of microchips are they cannot be altered or removed and since they are registered with one of the small number of databases, your pet will have a much better chance of being reunited with you and your family. The current statistics say the chances of being reunited are increased by 20% thanks to microchips.

The downside to microchipping is the chips can only be read with a microchip reader and not everyone has a chip reader. If a stranger finds your pet, he or she might not know where to bring the pet or may not think about microchips because there are no outward signs that the animal has one.

GPS collars are the second best solution. There are even iPhone apps that can track the GPS signal from the collar to help you find your pet quickly. The GPS collars are not inserted or permanently attached to the dog, making it a good solution for pet owners who are squeamish or against having a foreign object placed in their pet. Most of these collars come with software for computers so if the pet becomes lost, the owner does not have to call or rely on someone else hundreds of miles away to find the pet.

The obvious problem is that the collar can either be taken off or could potentially fall off. Most of the collars do include snag protection so it the dog or cat was to get stuck, a few tugs and the collar will break off to protect the pet.

ID tags are a third option. There are a few companies, such as Return-A-Pet, that will provide ID tags for pet’s collars at a very reasonable price. The difference between these ID tags and the tags you can make yourself at the local pet store is these tags do not have names, personal phone numbers, or addresses on them. There is usually a phone number to the register company and a pet ID number so if someone finds the pet, they call the number, give or type the ID number in. The registering company will take down all of the information needed from the caller then call the pet’s owners and relay the information. Finally, arrangements are made to pick up the pet. This also works if the pet is dropped off or found by a vet or animal shelter. Whoever finds or has the pet calls the number to help him or her get back home.

This is how these ID tags work: First the pet owner orders a tag and gives the company the pet’s information and the proper address. Second, the company sends out an ID tag with instructions on how to properly register it. Third, the pet owner goes to the proper website to register, activate, and confirm the information is correct. There is usually an annual fee of around $10 for this service. Then, if the pet ever goes missing, the person who finds the pet calls the number on the back of the tag.

The final way that technology can be used to bring missing pets home is through websites. There are many websites, such as HelpMeFindMYPET.com, that are basically message boards or sort of like old-fashioned telephone poles with flyers. A pet owner of a missing cat or dog can upload a recent picture of the animal, list any distinguishing characteristics, and their contact information. If a lost or stray pet is found, the person who found the pet can go on these sites and try to find the owner or upload a picture and the same information.