Check Your Pet’s ID This Week!

National Pet ID Week is This Week!

National Pet ID Week is the perfect time to make sure your pet’s identification is up-to-date! ID tags and microchips are important because they give lost pets the best chance possible to be reunited with their owners.

It is estimated that one in three pets will go missing at some point in their lifetime. Last year alone, the Louisiana SPCA took in 2,007 stray animals and of those animals 542 were reunited with their families mostly in part to ID tags and microchips.

We recommend that every pet family prepares for a lost pet since statistically, it is so common. Even the most well-behaved cats and dogs can get lost, run away unexpectedly or get separated from their owners. Two popular ways to ID your pet are: to use a collar with a tag, and a microchip.

If you do lose your pet, the most important thing to know is that each parish has a stray hold period. This hold period is designed to allow you time to find your pet. Each parish’s hold period is different; for example, Orleans Parish is three days and Jefferson and Plaquemines Parish are both five days. If you have your address listed on the ID tag and it is present on the animal when they come to us, Louisiana Law requires that the animal be held for seven days.

Steps to take if you lose your pet:

• File a lost report!
• Call your microchip company. Make sure your info is up-to-date. They can even sometimes send out alerts to nearby shelters and vet offices.
• Search your neighborhood. Dawn and dusk are the most active times for lost pets to roam.
• Post lost pet flyers and post on social media sites like Facebook “lost and found” groups, Craigslist and Nextdoor.
• Call area vet offices.
• Leave food and water outside.

This week, make sure your pet’s tags are correct and have the most up-to-date information on them. Also, check to make sure the information is readable and has not been scratched or worn away. If your pet is microchipped, this week is a good time to check that it is registered and has the most recent contact information for you. If your pet isn’t microchipped, now is also the perfect time to make an appointment to get them one! Microchips cost $20 per pet.