Essential Gear for Pets: ID Tag

Celebrate American Humane's Tag Day, April 5

DENVER, April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pet care is not just about feeding and playing with your animals, but also about taking responsibility to tag them so if they are ever lost they can be reunited with you. To raise awareness about lost pets, the American Humane Association celebrates Tag Day, also known as Every Day is Tag Day, on the first Saturday of April each year.

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Saturday, April 5 kicks off this year's effort to reduce the number of lost pets in shelters by urging owners to put an identification tag on each of their animals. The chances that you will be reunited with your favorite fluffy friend decrease drastically without a collar and current ID tag.

According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, about 1 million dogs and 584,000 cats are taken into U.S. animal shelters as strays each year. Sadly, only 15 percent of those dogs and 2 percent of those cats are reunited with their owners. Even indoor cats can slip through a door, so all pets should be equipped with an ID tag or microchip with up-to-date contact information.

If your pet does become lost, don't delay. Take the following steps to help bring your companion animal home to safety.

Act fast! The sooner you begin your search, the better the odds of finding him.

Search. Call your pet's name and check any places she could have become trapped, such as in garages or under vehicles. A lost pet often will hide during the day, so be sure to go out again at night with a flashlight and call for her.

Check with your local shelters every day. Don't just call -- visit the shelter to search for your pet. Many animals are difficult to describe over the phone, and only you really know what your pet looks like.

Call all animal control agencies in your town and surrounding areas. Animal control officers work through the police department and pick up stray animals. Call them or check their shelters at least every two days.

Make "lost pet" signs using your pet's photo. Put them up in your neighborhood and in post offices, libraries, pet supply stores, veterinary offices and grocery stores.

Watch the found ads. Respond to any that might be close to your pet's description. A week of wandering the streets can make white pets look drab gray, and the ad's description might not exactly fit.

For more information on Tag Day, visit www.americanhumane.org/tagday.

About American Humane

Founded in 1877, the American Humane Association is the only national organization dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Through a network of child and animal protection agencies and individuals, American Humane develops policies, legislation, curricula and training programs to protect children and animals from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The nonprofit membership organization, headquartered in Denver, raises awareness about The Link(R) between violence to people and violence to animals, as well as the benefits derived from the human-animal bond. American Humane's regional office in Los Angeles is the authority behind the "No Animals Were Harmed"(R) end-credit disclaimer on film and TV productions, and American Humane's office in Washington, D.C., is an advocate for child and animal protection at the federal and state levels. American Humane meets the strong, comprehensive standards of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, has been awarded the Independent Charities of America's "Best in America" Seal of Approval, and has received a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's leading charity evaluator. Visit www.americanhumane.org to learn more.