Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 8:46 pm Post subject: Tilly's Tattoo !
Hello everyone,
I just thought I would share this afternoon's experience with you, but would like to stress this is my opinion and personal choice, nothing else.
Despite having done / do everything possible to keep my girl safe including her being chipped at her first injection, I have found since the inception of Lost Labs and my involvement with the site, I have, for a variety of reasons, had to speak to many people and organizations.
I became steadily uneasy of stories regarding microchips that are / were in lost and stolen dogs leading me to realize that as good as they are, they are not infallible.
There is no way I am knocking them at all, as they are a necessary and important tool for locating owners of a genuinely lost dog.
However I find there have been situations where, for reasons I won't go into here, they can be missed or not located at all.
Anyway to this end I researched Tattooing, Maddie our friendly member from France made contact, which was very helpful indeed, as in Europe tattooing has been the norm for many years.
After ' Goggling ' till my eyes boggled and visiting the National Dog Tattoo register's site, I located Helen, one of their registered tattooist's who fortunately is quite local and had a long chat and subsequently booked an appointment.
Just to make doubly sure I hadn't missed a valid informed opinion I spoke to a good friend whom I trust and respect ( still had time to bottle it then ! )
Suffice to say Tilly is now officially a tattooed hooligan lol
I had already been told she would probably yelp, and me being a pansy, this was my biggest concern, her in pain. On arrival Helen met us at the car and was lovely, very friendly and calm, made friends with Tilly straight away and we strolled indoors where her 4 month old Choc puppy was lol....chances of keeping Tilly calm now, were shot to pieces
After suitable bum sniffing, tail wagging and repeated circling of each other, the youngster was banished lol. l More bonding took place and then Helen's assistant made friends too !.
I was shown what would happen and had the forms explained to me.
Kaye had come with me and she gently coaxed Tills into a small soft muzzle with treats. A quick shave of the inside of the ear ( this noise bothered her more than anything else ). Then the skin was gently but thoroughly wiped over with a solution.
It was a very swift proceedure lasting approx 2 seconds with a single whimper / cry. Then the muzzle was gently removed and Tilly was eating biscuits !
Then, acting like nothing had happened Tilly was charging around the room like a banshee, wagging her tail, going up to everyone for a kiss.
The worse bit was just before it started Tilly became aware that ' something ' was going to happen and became a little anxious, that was the worst part but once calmed, the procedure itself was a doddle.
From the second the tattoo had finished she was over it.
We left with a copy of the certificate ( and some pics of Tilly, pup and Barco ! ) and details of what and what not to do.
Tis 9m now and from then till now ( and hopefully will continue ) she is not even slightly bothered by it, straight back to her happy self.
As I started, I shall finish. This was just my personal choice, which I am still happy with and have no regrets, just feel for that 1.5 second whimper I have as near as I can, guaranteed everyone will know where her home is, under any circumstances.
Just thought I would let you know......
PS Should anyone want to know the details of the proceedure please PM me and I will happily forward that on, descibing on an open forum is not the place, for obvious reasons !
I phoned a tatooist yesterday after obtaining the link with her details off Lostlabs.
She explained the procedure to me and I'm going to have Buster tatooed.It makes sense.
I know the micro chips can migrate, I took Buster the vets last night and whilst I was there I got the vet to scan him.His chip is still in the same place. I think its a good idea to have them checked now and again.
well i for one dont think there is anything wrong with tatooing.. cattle get it horses get it it has been around for a while.. why not dogs.. i have heard of a few on dogs being tatooed especially valued show dogs
but i dont think there are many ppl that do this
but yes another safe gaurd to make us feel that are dog is well and truelly ours and will be return safe and sound to his own home...
but again i have to say this will only be found out if the dog is taken to a vet or dogs home that read chips/tatooes/tags it all depends on the person that takes the dog or finds the dog
thats the most worrying thing
i have rosze chipped normal collar tags but none of them are out of my sight but as i know and everyone else it can still happen and the papers these last few days have proven so...
so do whatever you feel best for your dog to keep her safe xxxx
I have to admit it's something I've often thought of but never got round to doing.
Mine is microchipped, but as you say it's not all it should be. In addition, there is the added bonus of it being immediately visable.
Not all vets check for microchips, which must be a bonus for dog theives. I know on the odd occasion I've had to take a foster into the vets (usually emergency so not my usual vet), they've never checked - for all they know it could have been stolen. A tattoo, on the other hand, can be easily seen without the need for any equipment.
I totally agree with you but taking it one stage further a chip can't be seen. It can migrate or in the event of a stolen dog can ' not be there anymore ' !
A tattoo is visable it is not only a deterant but renders the dog useless to anyone, and a thief hopefully will see that and leave well alone.
So unless it is stolen and kept as a pet (unlikley - not the usual reason for theft ) it will either not be nicked or soon be realised that nothing can be done with it and set free.
Should it be stolen to be sold on, the new owner, albeit innocent would get it checked, if bought under dubious circumstances, eventually will need the vets, circle of events unfolds.
( Am using ' it ' generally here ! )
Clearly one flaw here is if an entire dog is stolen and hidden away for breeding, well there is no safeguard against that sadly.
I have taken into account that Tilly has been spayed.
Again Claire as I say, I take your point and tis only my personal opinion, not ramming it down anyones throat.
Do hope you find who it is
Barco sends big snog to your boy !
Some smart ' person ' is setting of fireworks here at the mo GOD!
My Mums GSD was tattooed by her breeder at 8 weeks old - Mum also had her micro chipped when she got her - being a GSD her eyes stick up, its amazing to see her tattoo! And such a reassurance to Mum that if anything were to ever happen to her she is pretty certain to get her back - tattoos are visable not like microchips that are obviously hidden - both my 2 have 'Please scan my microchip' tags on their collars, but collars are easily removed and replaced with new ones.
I am considering getting my 2 done - and now that I have heard how quick a procedure it is I may get it done sooner rather than later
I have a friend that breeds and she has her puppies tattooed at quiet an early age and has benn doing this for a number of years.
As everyone can see immediately they find a dog, and it could b more of a deterrent for the thief.
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