What to do if you find a lost dog
What if you are the one who finds a lost dog? Here are some tips in case you find yourself in that scenario:
Make and distribute lost dog posters
Make and print paper lost dog flyers with your dog’s information that you can post around your neighborhood and/or the area where your dog was lost. Use large, bright, neon paper if possible so the flyer will be more visible. A good lost pet sign includes:
Tip: To help, we’ve created a free lost dog poster template to download and use immediately! Download here: Free Lost Dog Poster Template
Plaster the lost dog posters all over telephone poles in the area and make a large sign to place in your front yard or on your front door.
Hang the lost dog flyer on bulletin boards, at local coffee shops and stores, vet practices, pet stores, animal shelters and animal hospitals.
If you want to take this one step further, try car tagging as a means to help inform the community of your lost pet.
Tip: PawBoost is a service that helps you report your lost dog, post to local lost & found pet Facebook pages, alert local community members, print a lost dog flyer and more.
Yes! There are many stories you can read online about how printed lost dog posters really helped reunite dog parents with their four legged friend. Even in the age of social media, paper flyers are effective. So use both digital and physical lost log posters for best results.
Information Found on Today’s Dog Tag
Today, dog tags issued by the US military include the service member’s Name, Branch of Service (all except Army), Serial Number (often Social Security Number, or DoD ID Number), Blood Type, and Religious Preference (if any). This information is the most essential information needed on the battlefield.
Note: as of early 2016, the Army is the only branch that has gone away from the Social Security Number on dog tags. They started using the DoD ID Number in Nov. 2015.
The information on dog tags should be protected because having the name and Social Security number is enough for many people to steal the servicemember’s identity. Identity theft is a big problem, not just for servicemembers, but for everyone.
It’s important to understand the purpose of dog tags and the information they contain before ordering a replacement set of dog tags. If you are currently serving in the military and need a replacement set, you can get them issued at no cost. Contact your personnel unit and they can issue them to you or tell you where you can get a set issued. These should only be used in the line of duty. Don’t hang them from the mirror on your car or display them at home. There is no need, and displaying your personal information is not only unnecessary but potentially harmful.
The military only issues dog tags to current servicemembers. They do not issue them to veterans. The National Archives also doesn’t issue replacement dog tags if you make a military records request. They will only send copies of your military records.
So where do you buy them? There are many places that will make custom dog tags. You can find them on many military installations, military surplus stores, or at dozens of online stores, including USAMilitaryMedals.com.
WW2 Dog Tag Returned to Veteran – STILLFIN
For civilians and military personnel alike, military dog tags are so much a part of our of military life. They are as evocative and reminiscent as camo and combat boots.
Initially introduced as a means of identifying fallen soldiers, dog tags have become the central figure in miraculous and inspirational accounts of tags found and returned after 20, 60 and 80 years to the families of fallen soldiers–and even to the soldiers themselves.