Ideas for ID tags

 As the owner of a special needs dog who actually *needs* meds, I don't like the idea of everyone putting it on their dog tags and lost dog posters. I don't put it on my no-less-special-but-lower-maintenance dog's tags.

Emma's tag says

"Emma

DO NOT FEED

NEEDS MEDS

[my cell number]"

I pray that if she ever needs it, whoever finds her will heed the warning and not offer her food. If they do, the results could be devastating. Teenie's tag just says her name and my cell number. 

Sera_J

*Needs Meds*

The problem with this phrase is that you leave people wondering about what is wrong with the dog.  For instance:

          Is the ailment a disease that is contagious to people or other animals? 

          Could the animal become aggressive without its meds?

A "heart" ailment is a benign condition as far as its effect on people or other animals.

jennie_c_d

As the owner of a special needs dog who actually *needs* meds, I don't like the idea of everyone putting it on their dog tags and lost dog posters.

Why?  The phrase

(1)  encourages people not to keep someone else's dog and
(2)  ups the priority of the call to the owner from a shelter when a lot of dogs are brought in.

Your "do not feed" should put your dog at top priority among the "needs meds" dogs. 

janet_rose

Sera_J

*Needs Meds*

The problem with this phrase is that you leave people wondering about what is wrong with the dog.  For instance:

          Is the ailment a disease that is contagious to people or other animals? 

          Could the animal become aggressive without its meds?

A "heart" ailment is a benign condition as far as its effect on people or other animals.

Good!! Hopefuly then hopefully they won't wanna keep the dog and call me to come and get it immediately!! .. or even if they take it the HS, they are microchipped and have tags, so it wouldn't be a problem.  My main concern is getting the dog back. :)

All of our tags read:

• My name
• My address
• My phone number

On the reverse "I'm chipped, scan me" and if neutered, thats on there too.  If you have a dog that is diabetic or epileptic its good idea to add "needs regular meds" if you can.  Thats on the cats anyway, because she is striking and pretty and there have been a lot of thefts round here lately.

I see no need to put the dogs name on it too... *I* know their names, why would any stranger finding them need to know them?  Here, it is law to have your name and address on the tag.  Not that anyone is aware of the rule and its never enforced, but there you are.

Good!! Hopefuly then hopefully they won't wanna keep the dog and call me to come and get it immediately!! .. or even if they take it the HS, they are microchipped and have tags, so it wouldn't be a problem.  My main concern is getting the dog back. :) 

I guess I wasn't clear.  "Needs meds" will make some people unwilling to touch or handle the dog at all.  "Needs heart meds" removes any suggestion that the dog's illness could harm people or their pets.

Wow, I would have never considered that.  ... I guess I'm not terribly familiar with a lot of diseases that are humane/canine transferable, and even if they are, such as rabies, I don't know that they are necessarily treatable by meds.

Good point!

janet_rose

Why?  The phrase

(1)  encourages people not to keep someone else's dog and
(2)  ups the priority of the call to the owner from a shelter when a lot of dogs are brought in.

Your "do not feed" should put your dog at top priority among the "needs meds" dogs. 

Because they don't need meds. If everybody and their uncle in law is putting "needs meds" on their tags, nobody is going to believe it. My "do not feed" is a desperate grasp to keep my dog alive if she were to be seperated from me. It isn't an attempt to "prioritize" her.  And she does become aggressive if she's having seizures. She's scary as hell. Food can triggor them. So can stress (like being seperated from me).

I just don't like it. I see it on every "lost dog" sign I see. I don't believe it. Why would anybody else? 

Well Jennie, i feel for you, I do.  But, just like you... the reason we may "truth stretch" or "lie" is the same as your reason for adding "do not feed".  ... to get our dogs back should they become separated from us.  Yes, my dogs probably wouldn't die if they were separated from me, but let me assure you, I'd feel like I lost a child and I don't want to worry about that happening, but to help prevent it, I do what I can.

So, please do your best to try to be understanding towards the rest of us.  This is a passionate issue, and im trying not to take offense at you essentially calling me a liar.

You're putting something on the tag that isn't true. It is possible that this could become detrimental to *my* dog, if it becomes common. It's widely encouraged on public forums, like this. 

My dog (much like yours, only without the puppy left in her) is adorable. She's constantly out in public, at public events. I leave her in a nylon crate. If she were to get lost, somehow, in a strange city... I'd lose my mind, first, but.... It would be *very* important, for her health, that she be returned very, very quickly. It is also important for the safety of anyone close enough to read her tag. Emma has a serious bite history. She will bite, if she is afraid and feels threatened.

Every "lost dog" poster I've seen in the past.... year has said "needs meds". Most "lost dog" ads in the paper say the same. It's entirely too common. It's becoming meaningless. 

I'm glad you've found something to set you apart, for Emma's sake.. I know you have had a hard, rough road with her.  And I think it's smart to say do not feed her, since that is a true concern for her!

But my point is... it maybe making it "meaningless" by saying "needs meds" on an ID, but I have to do what I feel I need to do to ensure I'll get my dogs back.  It's that simple.  And my intent is not to make it more difficult for you... my intentions are simply to get my dog back from someone that is less than scrupulous. 

I know we all try to do our best to keep our dogs safe... and with us.  It's unfortunately, in a weird way, that our dogs are too cute, and well behaved, for their own good!

I'm with you, Jennie.  I'd never put that on Kenya's tag.  To me it seems like people putting vests and patches on their dogs and calling them service dogs when they aren't. 

I can foresee some do-gooder picking her up, reading a line like "need heart meds", and rushing her to the e-vet, only to have me find her there and have to pay for a check-up plus the $100 cost to get in the door, all b/c someone really did think she had a medical condition. 

Something just doesn't seem right about intentionally making tags that aren't true.   

Sera_J

It's unfortunately, in a weird way, that our dogs are too cute, and well behaved, for their own good!

It's awful, isn't it? And I know that it's a bigger concern for Logan, since he'll be intact, and could be used for breeding (Weimeroodles, anybody? EW!).  

Liesje

To me it seems like people putting vests and patches on their dogs and calling them service dogs when they aren't.

I agree, completely. 

jennie_c_d

Sera_J

It's unfortunately, in a weird way, that our dogs are too cute, and well behaved, for their own good!

 

 

It's awful, isn't it? And I know that it's a bigger concern for Logan, since he'll be intact, and could be used for breeding (Weimeroodles, anybody? EW!).  

 

Liesje

To me it seems like people putting vests and patches on their dogs and calling them service dogs when they aren't.

 

I agree, completely.