A significant part of the enormous tragedy of Hurricane Katrina was the number of cats and dogs left behind or lost in the storm who were never reunited with their guardians because they had no identification. On a more local scale, anyone who's ever spent time at the animal shelter has seen all the unidentified lost cats and dogs who will never be able to go home. The statistics on lost pets are daunting. Did you know that only about 2% of cats and 16% of dogs taken in by shelters are ever claimed by their guardians? The percentages wouldn't be so low if pet guardians took care to use some form of identification, and ideally more than one, on their pets.

Indoor cats and fenced-in dogs escape from their houses and yards all the time. Family pets are also stolen by unscrupulous "bunchers" to be sold to animal research labs. As with Katrina, pets are frequently lost after natural disasters like tornadoes, floods, fires, earthquakes and blizzards. They can jump out of moving cars. They may be spooked by thunder or fireworks and run off. Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to protect your pets from becoming lost or stolen, but you can vastly improve their odds of being found again by using one or more of the following identification methods.

The ID tag is the most basic form of pet ID. You can buy one from an instant pet ID tag machine at the pet supply store, at your vet, on line or from a catalog. Make sure it has your pet's name, your phone number with the area code, and your current address. If your pet has a medical problem, include that information. Additionally, you might provide your vet's name and phone number. Your pet should also wear an up-to-date rabies tag along with a city or county license tag. Hang these tags from your pet's collar or harness and keep it on at all times because you never know when he'll become lost or stolen. Another good idea is to write your phone number on the collar or harness in case the tags should fall off. If you move, don't forget to remove the tag with the old contact information and obtain a tag with your new information. Should you lose your pet or find a lost animal with tags, you can call any of several national tag registries for assistance.

Tattooing is a more permanent identification option. Tattoos using alphanumeric coding and registered in a national database can be made in the groin, ear (but beware, ears can be cut to eliminate the tattoo), stomach or inner thigh. A tattoo

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