Pet ID crucial to reunions
It’s National Pet ID Week and for pets that find themselves at the Los Angeles County Animal Care Centers, county license tags can make a huge difference in being reunited with their families.
“The presence of a license on a dog allows animal care and control staff to contact the owner promptly to reclaim their animal,” said Aaron Reyes, deputy director of LA County ACC. “If a dog or cat is found running loose in the community and is wearing a county license tag, the officer will make an attempt to return it while in the field.”
County license tags are available at the six county centers, including Castaic Animal Care Center, at $20 for altered pets or $60 for unaltered pets.
“There are designer tags for dogs and cats available at pet related stores, but the best identification is their official dog or cat license,” Reyes said. “The reason is that it is evidence the tagged animal has a current rabies vaccination. You cannot get a dog or cat license from the city or county without showing proof of having a current rabies vaccine on file.”
Microchips can also make a huge difference in helping owners find their pets. Take the little terrier picked up by a Los Angeles County animal control officer several years ago.
As Reyes recalled, the dog was running in and out of busy street traffic after being accidentally let out of the yard by a real estate agent showing a home to a potential buyer.
The owners had looked for the dog day and night prior to relocating for a job, but eventually had to make the move across country without their beloved best friend.
A microchip revealed the owner’s information and arrangements were made for the owner’s son, who was planning to make the move the very next day, to pick up the dog for the trip.
“Our staff was elated to reunite the dog with his family,” Reyes said.
And unlike tags, microchips can’t get lost.
“Microchips are an excellent form of identification for your pet because of their size and placement under the skin. A quick scan of a found dog or cat would reveal the chip and the custom number assigned to that particular pet,” Reyes said. “A records check and a phone call to the owner on file will get your pet back home where they belong.”
LA County ACC provides microchip clinics at Castaic Animal Care Center every Wednesday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the cost of $15. Personalized ID tags with owner information are also available for $15.
Once you have the microchip implanted, make sure the information is current.
After all, in fiscal year 2015, LA County ACC took in approximately 23,000 stray animals from the communities it serves. Approximately 6,000 were reunited with their owners, with about 40 percent of the reunions occurring as a result of the pets being microchipped.
“It’s important to update the address and phone number on file if the owner and pet move. This is often overlooked,” Reyes said.
For more information, visit animalcare.lacounty.gov. Castaic Animal Care Center is located at 31044 North Charlie Canyon Road, Castaic. (661) 257-3191.