Residents of Brazos County are required by law to have their small pets tagged. The tags come with a host of benefits for pets and pet owners.
According to cstx.gov, the county tag required for dogs, cats and ferrets will provide owners with a 24-hour phone line for lost and found pets, annual reminders to renew, free rides to the vet for lost and injured pets, emergency vet fees of up to $500, reduced impoundment fees and extended impoundment.
“We see a huge intake of animals who got scared, run out the back, and end up here,” said Darby Kolle, communication specialist for Aggieland Humane Society. “If they have a county tag, after animal control picks them up, they can immediately take them home and they wouldn’t even have to come to us. There is no impound fee. [Tags] just save money all around.”
The tags cost $15 annually and can only be obtained if the owner can show proof of rabies vaccine for their pets.
According to the Aggieland Humane Society website, if a lost animal has a county tag, they will be held for 10 days before being put up for adoption, as opposed to stray animals who are not tagged and are only held for three days.
“We do county tags [at Aggieland Humane Society] and also some vets in the area provide them, but not all vets do,” Kolle said. “You could happen to adopt an animal, take it to the vet, and never once hear about a county tag. That is very possible.”
Kolle recommends pet owners get both a microchip and a county tag because of all the benefits that come with having the latter.
Alan Velazquez, civil engineering senior, said he is going to get his pet tagged now that he knows about the county tag ordinance.
“I would get my pet tagged because it’s a good idea for a small amount of money, Velazquez said. “It would let me know where my pet is at and reduce the stray animals on the streets which would also reduce the number of pets getting run over. I think that the option [to tag] is a smart option.”
Julianne Burkhalter, supervisor at the Bryan Animal Center, said the local tag is helpful in reuniting pets with their owners.
“Bryan Animal Control turned over in the field just under 600 animals in 2017 for various reasons from county tags, rabies tags, individual owner tags, microchips, etc.,” Burkhalter said. “Through a variety of measures, we were able to get these animals home without ever having to enter the animal shelter, which is a wonderful thing.”