Image Up Advertising & Design

How to Identify Lost Pets Despite your best efforts, accidents can happen. Someone leaves a door ajar, your cat escapes, an intrepid pooch digs under a fence and your best intentions go awry. Your pet runs away and gets lost. If they're wearing a collar with an identification tag, chances are good that you'll get them back, but what if their collar should come off? To protect their pets, many owners turn to technology, in the form of identification microchips implanted in their pets. Microchips are tiny transponders, about the size of a grain of rice, which can be implanted in your pet's skin by veterinarians and animal shelters. Each microchip contains a registration number and the phone number of the registry for the particular brand of chip. A handheld scanner reads the radio frequency of the chip and displays this information. An animal shelter or vet clinic that finds your pet can contact the registry to get your name and phone number. Microchips are designed to work for at least 25 years. Many veterinarians and animal shelters implant microchips for a small fee. However, just getting a microchip isn't enough. You also need to register your pet with the microchip company. Complete the paperwork that comes with the chip and send it to the registry, or do it online if that option is available. There is usually a registration fee required. You need to contact the company that registers the chip to update your information; otherwise the chip will be useless. Microchips are a good back-up option for pet identification, but should never be the main one. Reading a microchip takes a special scanner, one that an animal control officer, shelter or veterinarian will have, but the average person does not. So, if Fido or Kitty wander off, it's likely a private citizen will encounter them first. That's why, in the event of accidental separation, identification tags are your pet's first ticket home. Having identification and contact information, securely attached to your pet's collar, is critical. Approximately 33 percent of owners keep ID tags on their pets. This number needs to be much higher. Your pet's name, your phone number and the city where you reside are essential on tags. A cell phone number on a tag makes you more reachable, no matter where you are. Having personalized ID tags, with owner contact information, is a tremendous help in reuniting lost animals with their families Finally, you can find very affordable pet tags locally at Petco, PetSmart and Walmart stores. ~ Vivian Walker, vivr@sbcglobal.net 36 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | FEBRUARY 2020 Tails & Trails - All Pets TOPS I LOVE TOPS BECAUSE… It's February, the month of love, Valentine's Day cards and special dinners. The TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) group is in love with TOPS because when the recorders figured how many pounds the group had lost in 2019, they were excited. One hundred plus pounds were lost by about 15-20 people. A hundred pounds of unhealthy fat that can change lives, cause illness and even death is no longer part of our lives. Thank you TOPS; we love you. I love TOPS because… …of the inspirational weight-loss stories that members share. Several members were required to lose weight or lose their lives. They have been successful losing weight with the support of their fellow TOPS members. ~ Jardane Castles …coming each week gives me a reminder to keep in control of my life, because giving up is not good for a long and happy life. ~ Harry Henderson …I appreciate the opportunity to share with like-minded healthy people striving to accomplish optimum goal and results. …accountability is key to remaining focused on healthy goals. ~ Marjorie Melendez …it's keeping me healthy and encouraged me to meet my weight goal and maintain it. It has a great support group. -Patricia Pendergraph …I get a lot of motivation and enjoy the classes, especially Pat's chair exercises. ~ D. Williams …because of the kind, empathetic support provided by the group. I lost 28 pounds in 2019! …because I get so many ideas from other members about living a healthy lifestyle. …because it keeps me accountable to myself and other members. I love the friendships. …because I have the support of people who have similar difficulties. I feel comraderie and love. ~ Cathy Calhoun …no matter if I gain or lose, I'm never depressed. The meetings and members lift me up to new resolve to keep going in my struggle to live a healthy lifestyle. Why not join us, and make a healthy difference in your life today? We meet Tuesdays, 8 am, in The Lodge Ballroom. ~ Andi Henderson 918-497-6491 IMPORTANT UPDATE The phone number for lost or found pets in Four Seasons is (951) 663-7012

• Cover