I think that depends on what method you use, Di. If you use a tattooist registered with the National Dog Tattoo Register then they have a string of letters and numbers printed lengthwise in the ear. It's in a reasonably large font and would certainly not be missed by anyone looking in the ear
ive heard horror stories of dogs that have been tattoed being horribly mutilated by thieves trying to remove or cover a tattoo i would rather stick to microchipping at this point but good luck with your sessions just not for me x
cdl
I've heard horror stories of dogs that have been chipped being horribly mutilated by thieves trying to remove a microchip Whatever you do, some fool will always try to find a way around it, but luckily most will not bother with the extra stress and, as has already been said, not take the dog in the first place or dump it very quickly.
I know that I have said this time and time again but there are dogs being rehomed or being put to sleep EVERY DAY because somebody hasn't scanned a dog or the chip isn't working or the chip hasn't been found or the chip hasn't been followed up. That's enough for me to have my dogs tattoed as well as chipped.
Having a chip doesn't mean you should discount having the tattoo done imo. As mentioned, there's more risk of human error involved with reading chips whereas tattoos can't be missed. A portable scanner with fading batteries wouldn't pick up the chip, neither will a faulty scanner.
Also, dog nappers may be more put off by tattoos than chips? Some might even quickly check the ears before stealing the dog? Chips can always be found and removed so probably wouldn't worry the thief if the dog's really worth stealing. Whereas removing the tattoo would mean a chunk off the ear and a complete give away to anyone looking for, or interested in the dog.
Last edited by Montie on Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:36 am; edited 2 times in total
This dog is chipped, she was clearly stolen to be sold on - it is only because she swallowed a conker and went for surgery where the vet scanned her that the chip was found....... she was missing 16 months.
If she had an ear tattoo this would be visible to ANYONE unlike a chip which needs a scanner.... the theives would know this and would either not have taken her after a quick look, or would have dumped her quickly - ok not ideal but she would have been reunited a lot earlier.
For all the reasons listed so far, I agree with tattooing.. I have only heard of greyhounds being dumped with ears cut off (so that they cannot be traced, the poor greyhounds have often been considered to be useless once racing days over, and with the ear removed can't be traced back to the cruel owner, but removal of a chip is far easier, which most often remains close to the skin and requires an undectable skin puncture to remove (not like removing the ear).. unfortunately there is no legislation in place that makes vets routinely scan dogs anyway.. they assume that you are bringin 'your own' dog to be checked, not a stolen one.. and lost dogs will be reunited with owners with microchipping, or tattooing, but microchips do fail.. and people can put chips in collars or hold them in their hands to overrride any chip inside the body.. but tattoos are permanent.
So, as you can hear, I am a promoter of the tattoo, as also, anyone finding a dog can simply ring the tattoo register, without involving vet time/cost, and some unscrupulous vets have been heard to run checks and charge bills for same...
However.. having had my dog tattoo'd, and just looking at the picture of a tattoo that was posted on this thread I am very disappointed to say that mine was not clear like this one.. I have shown many my doggies tattoo and people can't read it.. so now I have to have it done again in order to get any health checks completed and registered against her identity.
There were many reasons, based on lengthy research, that I wanted to avoiding chipping her.. I am now stuck trying to find a telephone number to get the number repeated, which should be a simple task.. but its not!
Someone also contributed a post about 'losing' the m/chip.. it is not uncommon for m/chips to migrate around the body, and if they can travel to the shoulders.. they can travel anywhere and have done.. some even to brain causing.. well, inoperable... the body also doesn't agree with 'foreign bodies' and this can cause gatherings around the chips, and there is data on tumours - benign and malignant. For each to decide, but the only downside I've found so far is the clarity of the number, and the difficulties in finding one nearby .. Its also not obvous what the 'RULES' are about becoming a tattoist (despite such strong convictions), even when the rules tattooists are supposed to adhere to are not!!.. cross customer!
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but it's still dark enough and clear enough to read. And would be spotted quite easily
Whatever you do, some fool will always try to find a way around it, but luckily most will not bother with the extra stress and, as has already been said, not take the dog in the first place or dump it very quickly.
