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Few of us can doubt the wisdom of having permanent identification on our dogs. It won't stop a dog being stolen but it can prove ownership if it is found and gives honest people a chance to return the dog to its rightful owner if they have bought it in good faith.

There are many curious anomalies in the laws pertaining to dogs and people have had to go to court before now to get their dogs back if they have been rehomed by a rescue group and the new owner refused to give them up.

In cases like that, permanent identification would swing the verdict even more than evidence such as photographs, witnesses and the fact that the dog clearly recognises and wants to be with the original owners.

However, permanent identification options such as contraception are not perfect and each one has its minus points. It is useful to know about these before choosing your method because the agencies offering them are seldom forthcoming about anything other than the advantages.

Microchipping involves the insertion of the chip under the dogs skin, usually in the neck. The chip is advertised as being the size of a grain of rice, and the insertion is often referred to as painless.

I have had several dogs chipped. The chip is much bigger than any grain of rice I have ever seen and the insertion is not painless. Compared to the pain of the stolen dog, it is worthwhile, but I wish people would be honest about what is involved.

The first dog I had chipped at the vets had such silk-fine skin that the chip went straight through twice before staying in place the third time. The vet was mortified but he had done nothing wrong and it was a learning curve for all of us.

Placement of the chip is rather important given that sometimes it is necessary to restrain a dog by the scruff, or that the collar may press on the chip in certain positions, especially if the dog is one that can pull on the lead or slip.

Consideration should also be given to the dog that snaps its head down to strike and feels the chip each time if it is in a certain muscle group. It must be rather like having a stone in your shoe.

The biggest concern most people have is that the chip itself may migrate. Microchip companies say that this may have been a fault in the earlier types of chip (which they did not mention at the time) but it is very un usual know.

I can't say how unusual it is but I know of a fair few cases including a dog that was intermittently and inexplicably lame for two years untill the chip was removed from her elbow.

Migration is enough of a possibility that the chip should be checked at least once a year and, if it does start to move, it should be taken out or it might travel to a position where it could cause damage.

Microchipping puppies carries an extra risk of the chip moving with the body tissue as the pup grows, which makes me question the welfare aspects of having legally docked puppies microchipped before they leave the breeder.

It seems more sensible to have dogs microchipped once they are at or near full growth, which of course leaves them unprotected untill that time. Not an easy decision.

There is anecdotal evidence of theives trying to remove microchips, which in most cases are easily felt under the skin, and this is not likely to be attempted with any consideration to the dogs welfare.

Questions are also raised over whether the use of magnetioc therapy equipment can effect a microchip or even whether a transmitter collar might. The microchip companies claim that their chips cannot be removed by amateurs and that electronic equipment will not affect the chip but I am not aware of any tests having been conducted.

I was way behind in my understanding of tatooing when I had my last two dogs tattoed. Previously I had been very uneasy about it, having only seen the painful messy and not always effective tattooing procedure that was usual 30-plus years ago.

Modern tattooing takes one second - albeit such a painful second that it is wise to muzzle the dog - and is very neat. One or both ears are tattooed and the ear must be kept dry for a weak or so afterwards because the ink is water-soluble. Afterwards, the tattoed area should be kept clear of hair so that the tattoo can be easily read.

Puppies can be tattooed from about seven weeks old and there is usually a discount offered for whole litters. Though the ear grows, this is taken into account at the time of tattooing so that the tattoo does not become illegible as the dog matures.

One person prominent in the show world prefers the idea of tattooing a dog's inner thigh, as there is evidence that some dogs have ear tattoos tampered with after being stolen and others have even had their ears cut off.

The drawbacks with thigh tattoos are that they cannot be done quickly with a punch the way ear tattoos can, but instead need an anaesthetic as the process is long and painful; that many dogs are heavily coated in the thigh area so the tattoo is not readily see; and that few people will try to examine a strange dog's inner thigh.

I have seen pictures of American hounds branded on the flank, though I don't know whether this is hot or cold branding. It is obvious, some would say disfiguring, and would be difficult to alter and impossible to remove.

I wouldn't like the idea on a thin-skinned lurcher - I had my horse freeze-branded and he wasn't impressed, though at the time the process was described "painless" - and of course a heavy coated dog would not show the mark unless it was clipped all year round.

These are our options to date, none of them are perfect but all of them better than nothing. The choice is ours. I hope something better comes along in due course but meanwhile we have to do our best with what is available.

reprinted with kind permission from Alastair Balmain
Deputy Editor:Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street SE1 0SU
Tel: 020 3148 4750

National Dog Tattoo Register

NDTR, PO Box 5720 Harwich CO12 3sy

The tattoo identification offers a permanent and visible means of identifying your pet to others. The tatto number is visible and a known theft deterrent. The tattoo is applied within seconds, and requires no anesthetic or sedation. One payment for life, no renewals.

Phone	01255 552455
Fax	01255 552412
Email	tattoo@dog-register.co.uk
Website	www.dog-register.co.uk

The above information is simply informational. It's intent is not to replace the advice of a veterinarian nor to assist you in making a diagnosis of your pet. Please consult with your own veterinarian for confirmation of any diagnosis. Your pets life may depend on it.

Some Permanent Identification for Your Dogs

National Dog Tattoo Register