April 18-24 is National Pet ID Week

April 18 - 24 is National Pet ID Week, and we're barking all about it over here on Dogster. We love our community of pooches (as do you) and are determined to make sure that we don't let one single pup go unprotected. One in three pets will get lost in their lifetime and sadly, most of these dogs and cats do not find their way back home. You can reduce the chances of losing your dog by preparing for the worst today. The steps are simple, quick and will save you from unnecessary heartbreak should your dog ever go lost or missing in the future.

How many of the following can you check off your list?

Take a picture of your dog. Right now. Not only is it important to have a recent photo of your dog, but you should make sure that it is stored online somewhere, so that you can access it from anywhere at any time, if you should need to print up posters or show people what your dog looks like. Whether you choose to store your images on Flickr, Snapfish, Photobucket, Dogster, or on your dog's pet ID and recovery service profile page, you'll be glad that you can access them when you need to.

Get your dog microchipped. Every vet's office will now do it for you, so what are you waiting for? As our own Dr. Barchas says, "Microchips cannot be lost, and they remain the most effective way to identify your pet permanently." Enough said.

Make a contact list for your pet. Take a few minutes to write down the names of people who know your dog well. This should not only include friends and family members, but people who see your dog every day, like the dog walker or friends at the dog park. Then, make sure that you have a current phone number and email address for everyone on the list, and make sure that they have yours. These are going to be the first people that you contact in the event that your dog goes missing. They may not only have tips for you when you need them most, but they will be of great benefit when it comes to helping you keep an eye out for Sparky.

Register with a pet ID and recovery service. While having an ID tag on your pet is a great start, you should make sure that your ID tag is connected to an online pet ID and recovery service, so that your up-to-date contact information is always easily accessible to the finder of your pet. We believe that our own pet ID and recovery service is the best one on the market, but we also believe that no matter which service you choose, it's the decision to register that's most important.

www.dogster.com