Without question, we all love our pets. Perhaps a bit too much, actually. 94 percent of pet owners say that their pet makes them smile at least once a day. Additionally, one third of dog owners have a framed picture of their dog in their house. And many of us take it one step further, as 27 percent of pet owners have had their pet’s picture taken with Santa, the Easter Bunny or another animal. And it’s not just a modern cultural tradition. While we like to think of the Ancient Egyptians as strictly cat people, they also revered dogs, going through elaborate mourning rituals when a pet dog died. So if we all love our animals so much, then why don’t they all have personalized pet tags? If you want to ensure that your beloved animal doesn’t end up getting lost, you will want to invest in some personalized pet tags. Here is some information about why pet ID tags are so important for your pet’s well-being.

While it might seem rather obvious that custom pet tags are essential for ensuring the safety of your pet, many pet owners completely neglect the practice. Studies show that 80 percent of pet owners think the practice of personalized pet tags is extremely important, but only 33 percent of those respondents had tags on their animals at all times. Most people rationalized this negligence by saying their pets were “almost always indoors” or that they simply hadn’t had the opportunity to do it yet.

There’s no doubt about it, though. Attaching personalized pet tags to your dog, cat, hamster, or other animal is essential to their safety. Without them, many animals may simply get lost and never be found. Personalized pet tags will increase the chances of your pet being returned if found by a neighbor or shelter.

Alright, so you’re convinced you need to get some personalized pet tags for your pet, but what kind do you get? There a surprising amount of pet tags out there. Many tags get put on an animal during a visit to the vet, or if they are from a shelter, but you will want to make sure your personalized pet tags have the appropriate information for you pet. There are personal tags, dog licenses, tags provided by 1-800 companies, and vaccination tags, and they can all better the chances of getting your pet back. However, rabies tags and tags that require somebody to dial a 1-800 neighbor aren’t nearly as effective as personalized pet tags.

The best tag for your pet is something simple. Most of them will be made out of metal with the appropriate information embossed or engraved onto, or stamped into, their surface. It should contain as many phone numbers as you can fit on it. Home phone, cell phone, work phone; partner’s home, cell, and work phones can all help you get your pet back quickly. The easier it is for whoever finds your pet to contact you, the more likely you are to see your pet again. Make sure to include the name your dog answers to. If its full name is one thing, but you call it another, make sure to include the name it answers to so it will cooperate with whomever finds it.