Fur Codes

[GeckoTree]

Hi does anyone here use Fur Code tags or collars on your dogs along with traditional tags?

[minimax]

Nope, I'm a one tag girl. A simple name and phone number works for me, no need to be overly techo!

[Meea]

No. I am waiting for gps collar chips to get affordable.

[Alyra]

A rescue I am involved with uses them. They have been enormously helpful and have worked well in a few situations already - I think they are a good back up :)

[Lyss]

Yep another stupid question.... whats a fur code?

[Alyra]

Lyss they are dog tags with QR codes on them:

http://www.furcode.com/

[GbDb]

My two geriatric pets just got their FurCode tags a couple of weeks ago, and I absolutely LOVE the idea!

To me it's not just about the animal getting lost.

God forbid, should anything happen to the owner, their special needs, diets, allergies, medications etc. are INSTANTLY visible on their webpage.

No need for a rescuer or family member to contact their vets first, or have their microchip checked, which, at least in our case, shows not much more than contact info and breed anyway.

Also, you can give details about personality traits and any peculiarities and conditions you think are important.

For example, my cunning boy once fooled an experienced dog person into letting him off-leash, successfully hiding the fact that he is profoundly deaf - long story, but in the chaos which lead to her looking after him for the day, I completely forgot to tell her . Which very easily could have ended in disaster. You bet, the word "deaf" now features in capital letters, followed by a bunch of exclamation marks (and instructions) on his page.

For those who are not sure about the security aspect of the whole thing, you can give as much or as little info as you like!

I, personally, would never put in my home address, but I now have 2 mobile numbers, 1 landline number and 2 email addresses on both of my pages. My regular tags, which I wouldn't remove, only allow for one phone number and a name.

Oh, and the rescuer doesn't even have to have a smartphone to read the QR code, although it's such a neat thing. :)

They only need to be able to type a URL into a computer.

Of course, a cheap, light, easy to wear GPS would be great, but that's something completely different. FurCodes is about things the rescuer needs to know - vital information or even just stuff that can make the animal feel more comfortable until s/he is happily reunited with the owner.

Also, I paid even less than I thought.

My two tags - one regular and one small - cost me a grand total of AU$ 25.31. To me that's money well spent.

Gosh, it might look like it, but I have absolutely no financial interest in the product!

But I do hope that lots of DOLers will warm to it and explain it to others, as I just had a friend comment on that "weird looking tag". The more the public knows about it, the better for everyone!

Apparently, a few Rescues have already taken to it like ducks to water, which I think is fantastic. :)

By the way, you can edit whatever you like on your pages, at anytime. Editing - I'm obviously a great fan of. LOL

Edited May 8, 2012 by mmb*

[GeckoTree]

Thanks guys, I do like the alternative contact by email etc and you can expand the history of your dog which is all easily accessible.

[Lyss]

Thanx Alyra

[Alyra]

mmb I didn't think of that advantage - very good point!!!!

[GbDb]

A rescue I am involved with uses them. They have been enormously helpful and have worked well in a few situations already - I think they are a good back up :)

Yep, I just read about it.