National Pet ID week starts today

A few nights ago, I nearly hit a black dog who was darting out in front of cars on a pitch black road in the dark. I sat outside of the closest house and honked my horn for nearly 10 minutes, but no response from anyone. I managed to coax the dog into my car, brought him home where he played with my dogs for an hour, and called the dog officer who promptly came and picked him up. The dog had on a makeshift collar appearing to be made from a cut leash, with the leash clip clipped to a loop in the leash material. Absolutely no ID.

I learned today that the owner was found and very grateful. The dog, a 4 or 5 month old puppy, belonged to a person who was visiting a neighbor. This dog could have been killed because he was darting out in front of cars (obviously bored, and trying to entertain himself). He also could have been lost forever, since the owner does not live around here, but was visiting.

National Pet ID Week starts today. Please help us get out the word that pets should always wear an ID. Whether that's a traditional hanging tag, a microchip or some other product or method, everyone should do it. Here's what Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan has to say about National Pet ID Week: http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/newsletter/archive/2009/200904_2.html

I use Boomerang tags. They are inexpensive, hold up to 5 lines of text, and slid onto the dog's collar instead of hanging. Hanging tags can get caught on something, can easily be taken off by a person, and make a lot of noise. I get lots of comments on the Boomerang tags. For more information, visit their web site. www.boomerangtags.com

Take care of your pets, and have a great day