identity capsule stolen

[Karma]

However some people do add "requires daily medication" - without specifying what it is it could deter theives, purely from the perspective that a dog that requires daily medication to stay alive isn't a good breeding prospect... 

[Mel]

Yes I mean he wouldn't die without eye drops but a stranger wouldn't know that plus as he has long fur no-one can tell if he is defrocked or not on first glance.

[Sheryl]

Ah, good point ...... assuming they have enough brain cells to equate daily medication with staying alive  . Whatever you choose,  the people on the link will make a tag to any specification.

[Mel]

Thanks for the link Sheryl, I will definitely be getting one.

[bajoleth]

I don't get the panic about people knowing your address if your dog gets lost.... 

Do all of you who are so worried about that also ensure that there is nothing in your purse with your address on, in case that is lost or stolen? 
If Honey was lost, I'd be far more concerned about getting her home to me as soon as possible than whether someone was trying to steal belongings on the off-chance that there was no-one left at home not walking (or looking for) the dog... 

While I can understand the experience of the OP was unnerving, I suspect if the youth did take the address details it was more likely to have been malicious mischief then planning to burgle... surely it is easier to get hold of a copy of the telephone directory and work your way through it to find out which houses are empty than to go to the trouble of finding a dog being walked (which wouldn't guarantee an empty house, we don't always walk Honey together!). 

I have only just caught up with this thread and have to say that I agree with Karma here. I think it highly unlikely that someone would steal a tag to get someones address to break in   There are dogs that get stolen yes, but it is a very low percentage thank goodness. Anyones dog can get stolen without it having the info on its tag, everytime you walk your dog etc it potentially advertises itself , you need to get things into perspective. Speaking as someone who owned a dog that loved to run away ( my Cavie got lost more times than I care to remember, she should have been called Houdini  ) and someone who has been burgled, I can honestly say that I would rather put my address on their tags and take that tiny risk, rather than hinder the return of my dogs should they ever get lost
I would also like to add that my gate is always secured with a padlock, and windows and doors are always locked

[Emilyoliver]

A mobile number and info saying the dog is micro-chipped should be sufficient to get the dog home safely. If the person finding the dog is a decent responsible type they would surely have the chip scanned (if the phone call didn't work?), and this links to the database which has one's address and further contact numbers on it?

[JulieM]

Surely it's more likely that your dog gets lost than it gets stolen?

My experience a couple of years ago made me think that having an address on was a good idea....I found a dog (a beautiful blue roan cocker) a few years ago. The phone number on the tag went straight to voice mail. As the address was on the tag also I managed to get the dog in the car and drive the dog home. I left him with a neighbour as the owners were out searching for him. If he hadn't had an address on the tag I'm not sure what I'd have done.

Sorry to hear about your horrible experience- I hope you, your dog and home are all ok and it was just a teenager being a bit of a magpie

[supergirl]

I've just picked up a dog today.  Was leaving the house when I saw a dog crossing the road on its own (I live on quite a busy road).  I watched it trot down the road a bit and then cross over again at which point I thought that there is definitely no one with this dog. Nice dog, friendly and thankfully had a collar and tag.  Postcode and mobile number only.  Tried the number and went straight to voice mail.  As I was popping out I thought I'll just put the dog in the car and take her with me then if the owners call I can just drop her off.  I was out for about an hour and heard nothing, tried the number and again just went to voicemail.  Checked Doglost to see if there was anything on there (interestingly there is only one dog in my town that is lost)

As I know the kennels that take the dogs that the Dog Warden brings in I gave them a quick call (also because I know that they shut at 3.30pm) which would mean me keeping the dog overnight.  Normally I would have hung on to the dog (so that the owners don't have to pay any reclaim fees), but I'm at a flyball competition tomorrow and am leaving at 7am so that isn't an option.  The kennels have scanned her and she is microchipped (unfortunately they can't tell me the address - data protection and all that), however they won't make any charges as long as the owners pick her up today.  Her postcode shows that she lives within 1/2 a mile of me, but without a house number its meaningless.

They probably have no idea that she's missing and have most likely gone out shopping for the afternoon (I picked her up at 1pm).  I dropped her off at kennels at 3pm and haven't heard anything further so I guess they haven't been able to get a hold of the owners.  Just a little bit more info on the tag and I would have gone round and knocked on the door before taking her to kennels. 

[maddycakes]

I had one of those tags that sherly gave a link to, on one side i had "I have epilepsy please take me to the nearest vet" printed on it, fortunately never lost her but it was piece of mind for me and hoped she would be taken to a vet.

[sneaks]

Back to the OP - I would consider trying to get any CCTV that could have been taken of the bloke who nicked the tag and inform the police/PCSOs that it was stolen and where - they may be able to identify the person or at least raise awareness that this has happened in the area.

[emms]

As an alternative for people who don't want their details on their dogs collar you can get id tags with a unique
number on them, so if anyone finds a dog wearing the tag they call a company phone number on the tag and then company contact the owner.  Can remember the company's name though

Its pet24!

[silverdawn]

thank you all for your posts and your advice,...i just thought i would update
you all to the present situation as regards Milli and the stolen identity capsule..
   well it's good news,.Milli is safe and well and there have been no attemps to snatch her
or any signs of a break in ...we can not thank you all enough, so once again .thanks

[PennyB]

A mobile number and info saying the dog is micro-chipped should be sufficient to get the dog home safely. If the person finding the dog is a decent responsible type they would surely have the chip scanned (if the phone call didn't work?), and this links to the database which has one's address and further contact numbers on it?

I know by law you're meant to have more details on a tag but I have 'I am microchipped & neutered' on mine + my home and mobile no. + my vet's phone no. just in case they're involved in an accident or its easier to drop off there.

[PennyB]

It seems that what i said in my earlier post quite a few of you agree that you wouldn't put so much personal info on your dogs tag/disc,so i'm thinking most dog owners are probably the same.

I have been trying to find any info on any dog owner being fined £5000 for not fulfilling the requirements,but can't find anything  the law on what we put on tags/discs really does need changing.

Its more than likely the only time you would suffer these consequences if your dog was lost and the authorities couldn't get hold of you easily - my home address details are available to any of the authorities + vets if they ring re the microchip so its not as if they can't trace me to my home!