April 16-20 is National Pet ID Week, and it’s the perfect time to make sure your pet is wearing your contact information in the event they go missing. Nothing is more effective than a collar and ID tag to ensure a lost pet is returned home safely. That’s why Animal Humane Society provides ID tags for life to all dogs and cats adopted from our shelters.
During adoption, every dog and cat from AHS receives a personalized identification tag to wear on their collar. Tags are a simple, affordable option that provides the easiest and fastest way for someone to contact you should your pet go missing or if there’s an emergency such as a tornado or fire. We recommend that both indoor and outdoor pets wear their collar and ID tag at all times.
Microchips are an important backup measure for pets that are lost or stolen, but they’re no substitute for a collar and tags. Microchips — permanent, implanted IDs — require that you maintain their registration, and, in the event of a missing pet, that a scanner is available to identify the presence of a chip. And not all scanners read all microchips. That’s why we maintain that collars and IDs should be worn at all times.
If your dog or cat adopted through AHS is ever in need of an ID tag, please visit any of our locations to receive a new, personalized tag for free. We want to make sure your pets are safe, even after they leave our shelters!
What to do if your pet goes missing
Discovering that your dog or cat is lost can be really scary. If this ever happens, you’ll want to follow these steps to help you locate your lost pet as quickly as possible.
- Post information about the animal to our Lost Pets Bulletin Board
- Search our Found Pets Bulletin Board
- Post and search reports on other online resources:
- Lost Dogs MN and Lost Cats MN on Facebook
- Craigslist
- Petfinder
- Nextdoor Pet Directory
- Tell your family, friends, and neighbors.
- Post fliers around your neighborhood.
- Contact your local animal control agency and/or non-emergency police department. File a lost pet report and ask where your animal will be taken if it's picked up by one of these agencies.
- Notify your veterinary clinic and microchip company to let them know your pet is missing. Confirm they have current contact information for you.