My dog has a tattoo....?

Question

my dog has a tattoo on her lower abdomen it looks like a cross between a male and female symbol.. what does it mean? Her previous owners got her as a puppy from the pound and she was like that, she's a blue heeler mix.

Answer 1

I would have to agree with the others that said it was because she's spayed.

The other type of tatoo someone mentioned is for identification purposes.  Yes it's true that some tattoo inside the ear but a tattoo on the abdomen or inner thigh isn't uncommon.  In fact our first Dane was tattooed on her inner thigh and that was more than 30 years ago.

The theory for tattooing the abdomen/thigh as opposed to the ear is that if the dog was stolen the ear could be removed.  

I know that the inner, upper lip is sometimes tattooed also but can't recall the reasons folks are opposed to that location.

One other VERY important purpose exists for the tattoo, which the microchip cannot match. Any laboratory pursuing experiments upon live animals, is required by law to return any tattooed animals they purchase or which arrive at their facilities. This law is designed to deter people who steal dogs for the purpose of selling to laboratories. Thieves now check for tattoos and release any marked animals,  never bothering to take tese dogs to sell to labs. This  law, called the "branded animal act", protects tattooed animals, and makes it a felony to be in possession of an animal which is tattooed.

Answer 2

It means she has been spayed.  It is something the Humane society did and I'm not positive if they still do or not.

Answer 3

A lot of breeders of pure bred dogs will "tattoo" their dogs and their litters to kind of "claim" them.  (Think of branding cattle).  How this dog with a tattoo ended up at a pound has me stumped, but she probably came from a breeder who may have had the intent of showing her or keeping her bloodline going somehow.  It's not really anything to worry about to be honest, but you could try to look up "tattoo'd dogs" and see if you can find her markings, you may be able to find her lineage.  Might be interesting.  :)

I have never known a tattoo to be on the lower abdomen, usually I have seen this in the ears, but either way, I bet it has someting to do with breeding.  

Answer 4

spayed!

Answer 5

A tattoo in that location on a female is probably a sign that she was spayed. The symbol will be different depending where you live.

My friend in Lee County (SW FL) has a dog with an "S" for spayed down there.

My friend here in Tampa has a dog that just has a blue dot tattoo.

Answer 6

It could mean one of three things: She is spayed... she has it as a form of identification ... (ie, she gets lost.. she can easily be identified by her tattoo)... or that her breeder marked her to show where she came from or for a claim.. so to speak.  Since she is a mix, I doubt the last one is the case. Since her previous owners got her from the pound like that, I'm willing to bet it's to show she is spayed.

Answer 7

Based on the locating it is an indication she has been spayed.  There is no easy way to tell if a female dog has been spayed so many vets put on a same tattoo to indicate she has been spayed.  That way if the dogs is lost or abandoned and is found by a responsible person or a shelter when they go to spay the dog it the tattoo will be seen and she won't be cut open again for no reason  

Answer 8

This means he has been Spay or its like a brand from someone who owned them type thing  

Answer 9

it could mean dat it has male and female speciments... so it might be a he/she