What To Put on A Pet Tag?

Avoid the heartbreak of losing a pet by attaching the appropriate personalized ID tag to your pet. Nowadays, engraving technology has become more advanced and there are many things you can engrave on your dog’s ID tag. There are also unique considerations for what to put on your dog's ID tag based on your lifestyle, location, and preferred method of contact.

What to put on your dog’s ID tag

Therefore, your dog needs an ID tag. Write relevant important information on it for easy tracking. Labels have limited space (four lines of text, with an average of three to four words per line). Not all labels have space on the back. This means choosing the right information carefully.

What you write on your dog's tag should be a combination of what you need to have your dog returned (medications needed, spay/neuter required, etc.) and contact information to keep up to date. For example, you'll see a lot of address recommendations. But if you move frequently, the address may eventually become outdated information, delaying the time it takes for you and your dog to be reunited.

Information reference for dog ID tags:

Your name or your dog’s name: This may seem obvious, but regardless of your name or your dog’s name, we recommend writing only one name on the label.
Your phone number: This is for people who are more likely to answer the call, but if you're a texter, add the word TEXT before your phone number. You may also want to add the phone numbers of friends or neighbors to increase the chances of a reunion.
Your dog's medical needs or medical history: If applicable, adding the words "needs medication" can add a sense of urgency.
Your social media accounts: Be realistic about the accounts you want to include. Social media handles are easy to understand and check, especially Instagram.
Your email address: Like your phone number and social media accounts, your email is unlikely to change over time.
Vaccine Information: If you have a reactive or talkative dog, this information will help people stay calm when interacting with your dog.
Reward Notification: Offering a reward can encourage someone to return your dog if you can wiggle it.
Spay or neuter confirmation: If you have an expensive dog breed or a popular dog breed, including this information may deter someone who would maliciously breed your dog.
Your address: This is optional, depending on whether you rent or own your home. If you move frequently, leaving your phone number or social media on your dog's tag may be more reliable than an address.

You can also prepare two labels in case one of them gets lost. Changing a dog's tag becomes easy when you own another dog's tag.

Most veterinarians will also give you a tag after your dog's rabies shot to show that they are up to date on their vaccinations. If you register your dog with the city, they will also send you an animal license tag. Rabies and animal license tags are both good sources of information.