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Original poster

Please TAG your dogs...

65 replies

Alambil · 12/01/2010 23:00

If you don't want your details on the dog for all to see, for the love of all things holy, just put a mobile / home phone number on it

Please

Thank you

I found a dog in the road today - she had no tag on, I didn't know what to do. Used DS's scarf to make a lead so she didn't get killed as she ran off (busy road) and used my mobile to google the local police to ask advice.

Finally heard someone yelling.... turns out it was her owner...

It would have been SO much easier with a phone number - I'd have known who to ring and tell I'd found their dog!

OP posts:

Bella32 · 12/01/2010 23:02

Yup. all tagged and microchipped here.

Just a shame they bugger off

kid · 12/01/2010 23:04

I want to get my dog a tag just incase he got away. He is microchipped but there is no guarantee anyone would take him to the vet to be scanned.
I will get him a name and number tag asap.

Original poster

Alambil · 12/01/2010 23:08

Kid, I would have taken it to the vet if no-one had appeared I think, but I was a mile from the car with DS and a baby I was looking after and it was just rather unpractical...

A number is all you need on a tag - don't put the dog's name on it though ...

OP posts:

Vallhala · 12/01/2010 23:16

Kid, by law you must have a tag on your dog whilst he is in public.

Another warning folks - it was only in the past week that I realised that I replaced my boys' tags as the tags were very faded and I could barely read the details on them despite them being relatively new. Do please check your own dogs' tags for legibility, just in case.

You can also get tags which say that your dog is neutered (and therefore not "worth" stealing), which are a very good idea. Also, for those of you with rescue dogs, most rescues will be very happy to supply you with or know that your dog has a second tag with THEIR details on it. Better safe than sorry!

kid · 12/01/2010 23:16

Why isn't a good idea to put dogs name on tag? I think my dog would go to anyone offering him so food plus he is super friendly. Knowing his name wouldn't make any difference to him!

He doesn't wear a collar in the house, just for walks. We always check the garden gate is closed before we open the door wide enough for him to sneak out.

Vallhala · 12/01/2010 23:18

PS sorry for the garbled message, "I realised that..." etc! I'm sure you got what I meant anyway!

kid · 12/01/2010 23:25

I had no idea that my dog had to wear a tag. You learn something new everyday.
Will definitely get one by the weekend.
Thanks for the advice, I never would have known

Vallhala · 12/01/2010 23:27

No problem Kid and sorry if I came across as stroppy! I just re-read my post and thought, "Bloody hell Val, that sounds rude!"

kid · 12/01/2010 23:28

lol, I didn't think it sounded rude, let me read it again......

Nope, still don't think it sounds rude! You were just getting your point across.

I had my previous dog for 13 years. He was put to sleep almost 2 years ago and he never wore a tag. Vets never said a thing about it.

Vallhala · 12/01/2010 23:33

Thank you Kid.

People are wary about putting a dogs name on a tag in case he is stolen (especially prior to the days of microchipping). Still now there's the fear of someone having a better chance of luring a dog away if they know his name.

Similarly your own name - there's the small chance of a weirdo using your name and number to be a nuisance if they found your lost dog. (At least I think these are the reasons!).

My dogs have my address and postcode on one side of their tags and mobile number on the other, just in case to add more might cause problems.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 12/01/2010 23:38

Haven't read all posts so may have been mentioned, but aside from chipping the blessed things, you have to have your name, number and address (I think - not sure on address) visible on a collar for this very reason or you can be fined by the police, quite heavily I believe?
Anyone know?

Mine are chipped but the details are out of date (can't find the bloody paperwork to get it changed) but they do have up to date info in collar barrels.

kid · 12/01/2010 23:40

I thnk I read £5000, but was just skimming the text so could be making that figure up lol

LadyOfTheFlowers · 12/01/2010 23:42

Also have 'neutered' 'has hip dysplasia - needs meds' in Bellas' barrel and 'neutered' 'general pain in the ass' in Mollys' barrel.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 12/01/2010 23:42

I thought it was £5k too actually!

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 13/01/2010 04:17

I think the fine is up to 5k and also up to 6 months in prison, which sounds ridiculous but I'm fairly sure that's what the trainer said at our 'be a responsible owner talk' He said we've two dog wardens locally. One just dishes the fine , the other will give a warning first plus that he's never heard of someone getting a custodial sentence but technically they can be given.

My friend's dog vanished from her back garden recently and didn't have her collar on. DH found him, a neighbour round the corner saw him looking and came out to ask if he'd lost a dog. How he didn't hear my friend shouting I have no idea. First thing he said to DH is 'I wasn't going to keep him or nothing' which DH thought was a bit strange. The dog now has collar on when outside at all times.

I grabbed a staffy running loose recently and was so relieved to see a mobile number on his tag though I didn't get to ring it as luckily the owner turned up.

minimu · 13/01/2010 08:35

It is actually a legal requirement to have a dog tag with specific information.

see below
"The Control of Dogs Order 1992 mandates that any dog in a public place must wear a collar with the name and address (including postcode) of the owner engraved or written on it, or engraved on a tag. Your telephone number is optional (but advisable). We are only able to engrave a maximum of four lines on each side of the tag. The more characters on a line, the smaller the engraving will be.

You can be fined up to £5,000 if your dog does not wear an identification tag."

These tags are great and can't get lost or come off the dogs collar
tags

MrsL123 · 13/01/2010 10:14

Thanks for posting a link to those tabs minimu - just ordered two! Ours have the disk-type but they're useless, as they only attach to the collars with a piddly wire ring and they keep coming off. They have our phone number written on the inside of their collars with marker, but that's no good unless someone takes their collars off to look. I've never used the barrel type as although I think they're great for medical info if someone finds your dog and takes it home, they're a bit fiddly to open when you're stood in the dark with a strange dog on a makeshift lead! And again, they tend to come on piddly wire rings.

These new tags look great - they won't fall off and are very easy to read. And you can always keep using a barrel for medical info, but put one of these tags on the collar with your contact details and a note to say 'check barrel for medical info'. Best £11.99 I've ever spent! Thanks minimu!

minimu · 13/01/2010 10:45

No probs glad to help!

ShinyAndNew · 13/01/2010 11:11

I was just about post what minimu did. We ghot told about it when we adopted our dog (who is tagged and microchipped)

I had no idea it was a legal requirement untill the kennels told us. Though my dogs have always had them.

My dog has my fathers details on, because I was told by the kennels that if we don't answer the phone when the dog warden calls we will be charged £50 to get the dog back. My father is in more often than I am.

ellenjames · 13/01/2010 11:12

cheers minimu just ordered a tag off there as my lab lost her tag yesterday whilst out on a walk! Thanks

MrsL123 · 13/01/2010 11:27

It took me ages to decide what to have on mine! In the end I put:

Dog's Name (their name plus our surname)
My mobile number
Hubby's mobile number
Street address & town (couldn't fit postcode on)
NEEDS MEDICATION

I was back and forth about putting the name on, but I decided to include it for a couple of reasons. A lot of people know us (hubby has a shop in town) and they know our dogs names, so they'll recognise who they are immediately (both are black labs with no distinguishing marks). And I also thought, if someone is mean enough to keep a dog, it wouldn't matter whether they knew their name or not - they'd just call it anything they like. Our dogs certainly wouldn't trust a stranger just because they knew their names.

I didn't bother putting a home number on, as if one of the dogs was missing we'd be out looking for them, so nobody would be there to answer!

And I put NEEDS MEDICATION to put anyone off stealing them - although one of them really does need medication twice a day.

Fingers crossed they'll never be needed!

Romanarama · 13/01/2010 12:43

Minimu - I'm going to order one of those great tags too. What size do you think I will need for Winston's collar when he's a grown-up golden retriever?

mistlethrush · 13/01/2010 12:54

We got our dog's tag done via the vet - much heavier weight disc than you normally get in the shoe menders/key cutters where we had them done previously - and deep engraving, so doesn't rub off. Also much heavier duty ring. We've had her 10 years and only replaced the disc when we moved. They also do flat versions that you thread the collar through so that there's nothing hanging down. More expensive than the cheap ones, but much more durable and legible.

Romanarama · 13/01/2010 12:56

Just ordered a 25mm one with open ends for all eventualities. Thanks for the tip!

GrimmaTheNome · 13/01/2010 12:56

Our dog just has home and mobile phone numbers on, plus he's chipped so he's got all the details - isn't that enough nowadays?

Surely its not necessary to put 'neutered' on a dog, I mean its pretty obvious isn't it?

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