Before the option to microchip your pet was around, pretty much everyone did the same thing to make sure their pet could get home if it was lost! The solution was easy – put your address on the collar and anyone who found Fido would just drop him off!
Nowadays, sadly, the world isn’t as simple.
When the microchip is scanned by a vet or shelter, it transmits the ID number. There’s no battery, no power required, and no moving parts. The microchip is injected under the loose skin between your dog’s shoulder blades and can be done in your vet’s office. It’s no more invasive than a vaccination. – AKC
A microchip is a small computer that sits under your dog’s skin. When a pound finds your pet, they scan it for all the information. This is easily the most secure option, but for many, especially people who adopt strays, a microchip is out of the question.
One woman recently learned that the “old school” way of putting your address on the collar wasn’t as safe as it used to be!
Michelle recently had an encounter that will surely change the way she keeps her dogs safe. Only a few days ago, she received a text from a man looking to “chat her up”. The messages were very strange and out of the blue. When Michelle asked, she didn’t even know the guy!
Michelle asked how the man got her number and his answer was incredibly creepy.
The man had grabbed the phone number from her German Shepherd, Milla. When he had bent down to pet her dog while she was on a walk, he secretly snapped a photo of her phone number listed on the collar.
Michelle isn’t the only woman who this has happened to recently either.
The world is full of creepy dudes (as if that surprises any women out there). Want another example of why you shouldn’t put your information on collars? Meet Shea. Shea was walking her dog when a guy asked to take a photo of her little Maltese.
As Shea watched, the man lifted up the collar on her dog and tried to take a photo of her home address.
Shea noticed what had happened and literally chased the man down. Confronting him, she demanded that he delete the photo in front of her so he wouldn’t be able to know where she lived. It was an incredibly lucky catch on her part.
Safety experts explain that the ideal thing is to not let strangers pet your dog.
Although it may not seem practical, it is the safest thing to do. Still, if you don’t want to go that far, the best thing you can do is ONLY have your phone number listed. If you get a creep texting you, a simple “block” and they can’t contact you anymore.
Sadly, predatory will do anything to get close to a potential victim, even if that means using your fluffy friend!
With some street smarts and preparation, however, you don’t have to worry.
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