This year, Pet Theft Awareness Day falls on Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, February 14, 2025. Pet Theft Awareness Day is placed on the calendar to call attention to the importance of making sure that your pet can be identified if lost or stolen.
As pet owners, it is our responsibility to make sure our pets are well taken care of, and proper identification of our pets is part of that responsibility. If your pet does turn up as missing, their identification tags or microchip will hopefully ensure a much quicker reunion with their family.
Pet Theft Awareness Day was launched in 1988 by the Last Chance for Animals organization, and it’s aimed at educating animal owners in keeping their pets safe from thieves. Every year, more than two million pets are stolen in America alone, which means this is a real threat to our pets.
Pets are stolen in the United States for a variety of reasons. Some are stolen because of their breed, while others are stolen because of their color, markings, or even their personality. Other pets aren’t exactly stolen, but when they wander off and are found, the person that found them may never return them.
You have two options to keep your pets safe: the first is a microchip and the second is a tattoo. Once you’ve made sure your pet can be identified, never allow your pet to run around outside. Make sure they are safe inside the yard or they are on a leash. Keep an eye on your pet while they’re in the yard because it only takes a moment for someone to come into your yard without someone noticing.
Make sure you always have a clear picture of your pet on hand, just in case they wander away from your yard. If your pet does happen to wander away or you suspect someone has taken them, don’t panic just yet. Contact everyone from your local animal control to the humane society and even the veterinarian. Distribute posters with your pet’s photograph and contact information posted on them and offer a reward that will be given once your pet is safe at home once again.
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Happy Tails!
