Why I strongly encourage collars

[Scruffys Mom]

Not a week goes by that I do not run into a lost, abandoned, abused dog. Granted, I volunteer with a rescue, but these are not dogs I interface with at the rescue, these are neighborhood strays or dogs I run into on the bike trail. Today, while biking, I saw a Black Lab and a Boston Terrier frolicking in a canal. Did I mention I live in FL? If there is water, there are gators....I got off the bike, and got the dogs out of the canal and was relieved to find they had collars with name plates and phone numbers. I called the owner, a responsible woman who had no idea that her dogs had gotten out and were miles away from her home. I patiently waited, in the heat, now nasty and stinking, as I had been in the murky canal and had musty dogs all over me. Regardless, people think they do not need collars as their dogs do not get out, or they are afraid of the dogs choking on the dangling collars etc. I have heard all the reasons. Here is how I see it. NO ONE expects their dog to get out and get lost, NO ONE, yet it happens every day. The mindset of people who find dogs without a collar is that it was probably abandoned and may either keep it or dump at a rescue or animal control or worse (we won't talk abpout "worse" today) In todays economy people abandon dogs by the truckload. If you are afraid of a dog choking on the dangling collars, there are specialty collars that you can have plates made. I was able to call the owner immediately. To drive to a vet or PetSmart to check for a chip would have been more time that I really did not have. Collars with ID tags and numbers are well worth any downside associated. I will not get off my soapbox.

[Nena]

You are so right!!!!! I do have the license # on tag and micro chip marked, but also address and phone number to call me right away. God forbid she would ever get away from me. I never let her off leash. It is a shame that people let their dogs run around. Don't understand what they are thinking.

[Jessica H]

I couldn't agree with you more! I admit I used to be the someone that never put collars on my dogs, because I do not like them . I live out in the country, have a fenced in yard, I supervise them, everyone on my road knows they are my dogs (maybe 2 houses every few miles), they are microchipped blah blah blah. I didn't even know where their tags were BUT I am proud to admit within the last year I have changed this .

I bought new Ruffwear Hoopie collars (have a special loop for the tags), I got their id tags, town tags and rabies tags together and I keep the collars on the dogs at all times unless they are in crates or sleeping on the couches. If they are in the backyard they have the collars on, even though I use harnesses I still keep the collars on and when Scooter is kayaking with his life jacket in the middle of a lake his collar is still on. I have actually become obsessive over it. My friend does the same, she took her labs collar off ONCE (to give him a bath which she never had time to do) and he got lost, she had to pick him up at the pound, he was only 1 mile down the road and she just moved in (during a babyshower at her house, got out in all the commotion).

I know was wrong and I had all the excuses but I changed it. I don't use the collars with the leash for the reason I do not like them pulling on their throats but I keep them on just for the purpose of the tags now.

[boats85]

Skipper is never without his collar and it has all his info. He is also chipped. Even with that Skipper is never left outside without me being present. Do not want to ever lose my buddy

[Hagar]

Renny had a collar put on when I brought him home. I have his rabies tag, city license tag and an ID tag with his name, my city and phone number on it. he is so used to the collar that he actually gets very upset when it is taken off for a bath or to update his rabies tag.

I have frequently encountered loose dogs on our walks. In a couple of cases I knew where they lived and managed to take them home to relieved owners. One problem is that when I'm walking Renny, I'm unable to grab a loose dog and hang onto Renny at the same time. In that case I'll try to get them to follow me home and get them into my fenced back yard. Then If they have a tag, I can call the owner. Unfortunately if they don't have a tag, as much as I hate to do it, I have no choice but to call animal control.

So, I agree that the benefits of a collar outweigh the risks.