Nearly all pets have some form of identification these days. This is in part thanks to concerted awareness campaigns from companies, vets, and animal rescue organisations. The pets wear these tags around their necks and there is generally information about the owner. This helps when the animal is lost and someone finds them. Pet id tags have reunited many lost animals with their owners in this manner.
The popularity in pet identification tags means that there is now so much choice. The average consumer can find pet id tags in a variety of shapes, colours, materials, and sizes. This can be confusing even at the best of times.
There are many materials that are well-suited to id tags but some materials may have an advantage over others.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel doesn’t rust and is probably the number one choice for most pet owners: this may be because the material is durable. These tags are ideal for dogs who spend a lot of time in the water, or dogs who just happen to be around water a lot.
Metal alloy
An alloy comprises two different materials – brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The advantage of an alloy is that it has different properties to that of the original elements. This sometimes means that the new material is stronger or longer lasting than one, or both, of the original elements.
Nickel steel
Nickel steel is an alloy of nickel and steel – it contains up to 6% nickel that is usually mixed with other types of metal. Nickel has superior corrosion resistance, high strength, and is also beautiful. Nickel has earned itself a reputation for being one of the few materials that are environmentally friendly.
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. There are a number of these copper-zinc alloys and they all have unique properties. Their colours range from red to silver and the most attractive colour is achieved when manganese is added – the alloy turns chocolate brown. Brass is a fantastic choice for pet tags: they’re far more hygienic than steel or plastic.
Acrylic plastic
These materials are synthetic and contain many different elements. Acrylic plastic bends easily and is superior to a number of other materials. This type of plastic is impact resistant and very light at the same time. It should last a long time and any scratches that show up can be buffed away easily.
Author bio:
Pet Tags wrote this article about which materials are most suited to pet id tags.