The other day I was laying on the floor thinking, "Why do I have to wear this collar all the time?" It's true, every day I have this collar around my neck. It's with me day and night. But what is it for? Well, I think I've come up with some answers.
First, it keeps my tags. Did you know that all dogs and cats are required to be registered? Every year, my family has to go to the Animal Services and get a license for me and my siblings. One reason that we do this is to help prevent disease in the animals in the county. That happens because it is required that before I can get my license, I have to make sure everyone knows I have had my rabies shot. Another reason is to make sure that the county has a description of what I look like and who my family is. This way, if I get lost, the police or the animal shelter can look at the number on my county license and call my family so we can get back together.
I also keep my rabies shot tag on there. It's important that we as pets, just like you as people, stay up to date with the shots that we need. This helps us all stay healthy so we can play. Dogs and cats wear these tags to show that they are up to date with their shots in case we were to get lost. This way, if Animal Control or someone else picks us up, they know that we should be protected against those diseases.
The second reason I have my collar on is for safety. Have you ever noticed that there is almost always a metal loop built into pet collars? It's a handy place to attach a leash. I have to wear a leash anytime I'm outside and not in my back yard. The leash attached to my collar or harness helps keep me safe by keeping me with my family. Some collars are also reflective: they are either made with a material that makes them shiny or they have attachments that are shiny. This helps keep me safe if the power goes off or I'm outside at night. When lights shine on the collar, it reflects some of the light back so the person with the flashlight or driving the car can see me.
So having a collar isn't such a bad thing. It's kind of fun in a way. When I walk I can hear my tags bounce against each other sort of like a little bell. In a way I'm taking music with me wherever I go. My family also keeps a very reflective, bright orange, collar in our family emergency kit. When we take shelter, they put this collar on too with my standard collar to help me be seen. I'm glad my family takes the time to make sure I'm safe and ready with my collars. Thanks for reading.
