Keeping an ID on your pet is so important to animal advocates that there is an entire week dedicated to it.
This week (April 19 through April 25) is National Pet ID Week.
Pet IDs are important for all pets to have - whether it's on a collar or a microchip in their back - because it makes it so much easier for the animal to be reunited with their owner if they get lost.
No one plans to ever lose their pet and put the identification to good use, but those who find their lost pets often express gratitude for the IDs that helped them get their furry friend back.
"When cats are microchipped, they are 20 times more likely to be returned to their owners when they go missing. Dogs are two and a half times more likely to make it back home," XC Dogs writes on their website.
All forms of pet identification should include your animal's name, your name, your address, telephone numbers, necessary medical information, and their veterinarian's name, suggests Pet Education.
While this information could be kept on a traditional collar veterinarians and pet experts today usually recommend microchipping your pet.
"Chips have become a standard method of identifying strays," Healthy Pets says. "Any lost animal brought to a veterinary clinic or animal shelter is automatically scanned for at least the two most common brands (HomeAgain and Avid). The primary benefit of microchipping is, of course, that your pet can't lose his ID."
