In a recent report by Inside Edition, pet owners are being cautioned about the risks associated with putting certain personal information on their pets’ tags. This warning comes after two women shared their unsettling experiences of strangers using their dogs’ tag information to locate them.
Shay Grayson recounted to Inside Edition an incident where a man stopped her during a walk with her Maltese, asking to take a picture of the dog. However, he was actually photographing the dog’s tags, which displayed Grayson’s address.
“I noticed he was holding up her collar and dog tag, and then realized he was taking a picture of my address, which was on the tag,” Grayson explained. Realizing the potential danger, she chased the man to make him delete the photos.
Grayson highlighted her concerns: “My home could be broken into. Or when I take my dog out, he could be there to kidnap my dog or harm me. There were countless risks with him having my address.”
Michelle Kimball had a similar encounter, though she only discovered the issue after receiving a call from a stranger. “I was confused, thinking, ‘I don’t know anyone by that name. How did you get my phone number?’ He replied, ‘I got it off your dog’s collar,’” Kimball said. The man had asked to pet her German Shepherd, Nilla, and took a picture of her phone number from the dog’s collar during the walk.
Kimball expressed her disbelief, “Why would anyone think it’s acceptable to take my phone number from my dog’s collar? It’s there in case my dog gets lost.”
Unfortunately, these women are not alone in their experiences. One individual shared on YouTube how her obsessive ex-husband tracked her down post-divorce by photographing her dog’s tag. “He distracted my mom at the door while he took a picture of my dog’s tag. That night, he jumped the gate of my gated community and appeared at my front door. SCARY!”
Safety expert Barb Jordan noted that dog parks can be hotspots for such incidents, as people tend to be friendly and less vigilant. “We never suspect people would use our dogs to get close to us. But predators know no limits or boundaries,” Jordan stated.
To ensure safety, Jordan advises pet owners to only include their phone numbers on pet tags. Additionally, having pets microchipped can safeguard personal information, as it is only accessible when scanned at a veterinarian’s office.
Toledo, United States.
