For Lost Pets, An ID Tag Can Be a Lifesaver

wants to remind County residents that their pets should always wear a collar and ID tab. 

“We take in lost pets every day who are obviously beloved family pets,” said Animal Control Consultant Susan Feingold. “However, only a tiny fraction of the pets are reunited with their owners because we have no way of knowing who they are or contacting them. If the pet has ID on them, we notify the owners as soon as we get the pet.”

People who find pets who are lost from home often make the assumption that they are “only a stray” or “dumped by their owners” if they don’t have a collar and a tag. Stray animals without ID are often ignored by people or sometimes the finder will even take the dog or cat to a shelter out of Douglas County or try to give it away. However, people who find a pet with a collar and tags will usually call the pet’s owner.

Experts recommend that both cats and dogs wear a regular buckle collar with ID tag. For pet owners who don’t like the jangling sounds of tags, plastic ID tags or tags that rivet into the collar can be purchased. While tags are always best, if nothing else, pet owners should write their phone numbers on the collar with a permanent marker.

In addition to an ID tag, Douglas County Animal Control recommends that pet owners have their pet micro-chipped as a back-up identification method. A microchip is inserted under the skin of the animal by a veterinarian. The chip transmits an unique identifying number which correlates to the owner’s information in a microchip database. All animals that are impounded at the Douglas County Animal Shelter are scanned for a microchip.

Douglas County Animal Control also wants to remind pet owners that, if they do lose a pet, they should not wait and assume that their lost pets will find their way home. Pet owners should immediately come to the Animal Shelter to look for their pet, and continue to come every few days until he/she is found.

The Douglas County Animal Shelter is located at 1755 County Services Road adjacent to the Cedar Mountain Landfill northwest of Douglasville.  Shelter hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and 2 to 5 p.m. Sundays. All adoptable pets are photographed and posted on the Animal Shelter page of the Douglas County web site at www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com.