Position:
The Regina Humane Society supports and encourages multiple forms of identification for dogs and cats including:
- permanent microchip identification
- humane collars and municipal license tags
- tattoos
Pet owners must update their contact information with their licensing municipality, microchip or tattoo registry to ensure expedient return of lost pets. Although an animal may have identification, responsibility still remains on the owner to attend their local animal agencies to actively look for their pet if they are lost.
Rationale:
Should a pet become lost, those wearing identification are more likely to be returned to their owners. Because tags can be lost, tattoos can fade and microchips can migrate, multiple forms of identification provide back-up for the others.
Under the City of Regina Animal Bylaw, pets found as a stray without identification are held for 3 days, pets with identification are held for 10 days. Following these holding periods, the pet can legally become someone else’s property.