MeowWiki Supports National Pet ID Week

April 17 to 24, 2021 is National Pet ID Week—a week dedicated to reminding pet owners to review and ensure that their pet’s identification is up to date. The week can be observed on social media using the hashtags #NationalPetIDWeek and #PetIDWeek.

Approximately one in three pets will go missing at some point in their lives. Approximately 40% to 60% of cats and dogs who enter animal shelters are lost pets. Proper identification—either in the form of a collar tag or microchip—helps those pets get home quickly and free up valuable shelter space.

“Many cat owners do not have an ID tag for their cat because they are indoor cats,” said Adrienne Jade, owner of MeowWiki. “However, accidents happen all the time. For example, a door may be left open or there may be a house fire or natural disaster. In these cases, the lack of a collar tag can make it difficult to get the cat home quickly.”

The fastest way to ensure that a lost cat will be returned home safely is to have an ID tag attached to a collar. At a minimum, the tag should have a current phone number for the owner. Providing the pet’s home address is also helpful as neighbors who find the cat can quickly return it. “A legible and up-to-date collar tag is the quickest way to get a lost pet home safely,” said Jade.

During National Pet ID Week, pet owners are encouraged to obtain a collar tag for their pet if they don’t have one already. If a pet currently has an ID tag on its collar, National Pet ID Week is the ideal time to check to see if the tag is still legible and up-to-date. If not, it is time to get a new one. Most pet stores have machines that allow pet owners to create a collar tag quickly and inexpensively.

In addition to a collar tag, it is also important to get a microchip as a back-up. “As useful as collar tags are, they can fall off,” said Jade. “Therefore, it is best to have a pet microchipped as well.”

A microchip is a tiny electronic device that is injected under a pet’s skin. When a pet is lost, an animal shelter or vet’s office can scan the chip to find the pet’s unique ID number. The number can then be looked up in a database and the owner contacted.

If a pet has a microchip, be sure to keep information on the brand of the chip, the 800 number for the company, and the pet’s microchip number in an easily accessible place.

It is also important to keep the microchip information up-to-date. “If a family moves or a phone number changes, the information on the microchip is useless,” said Jade. “During National Pet ID Week, pet owners are reminded to check that the information with the microchip company is current. Pet owners are also encouraged to have their veterinarian scan their pet’s microchip each year to ensure that it is working and the information is up-to-date.”

MeowWiki provides information on feline health issues and different cat breeds to owners across the USA. The site also sponsors a monthly cat photos contest and animal shelter charity giveaway, which gives a $1,000 donation to cat rescues and animal shelters across the country.