Are these legal?? (dog tattoo machine)?

Question

I mean you can buy them, but geeze-seems kinda crazy, a DIY tattoo machine for dogs?

http://www.huntsmart.com/hunt/Dog-Training--Supplies_49/Dog-Remedies_58/Item_Dog-Tattoo-Identification-System_2745G.html

Answer 1

All greyhounds bred for racing are tattooed in both ears. In one ear is their racing number, the other ear has their birth order and birth date. I don't know that the average Joe would necessarily purchase a diy tattoo machine, but I know breeders are buying them and why.

Answer 2

Its for identification

But yeah, seems cruel.

Answer 3

yes it is legal... its mostly for breeders because sometimes people will steal their more valuable dogs and try to sell them on their own. I think it's abslutely horrible and it SHOULD be illegal, but then again I am also against most breeders

Answer 4

Even if there were, why would you want one??

Its so cruel

Answer 5

they are used by breeders as some kennel clubs still require the dog to be tattooed. Personally I think microchipping is better. With a tattooed ear you are more likely to end up with a dog who's going to be missing part of their ear.

Answer 6

10-15 years ago tattoos were the standard for permanent dog identification they don't slip off like collars and don't have the possibilities of migrating or going unnoticed like chips. AKC CAR and NDR still recognize tattoos, the NDR sells the tattoo guns to qualified buyers. Guide Dogs for the blind use a similar technique of stamping dogs ears.

Back in the day you would tattoo a unique series of characters like AKC  or drivers license number with lost dog registry phone number. Many tattooers are moving away from tattooing dogs due to questions of "cruelty" and unclear state laws. One example I've seen used by tattooers of why they stopped was the Colo state law against dyeing dogs ( http://peek.snipurl.com/3liv9 ).

When I got my first border collie the vet tattooed her inner thigh while she was being spayed. Honestly just spending some time around these boards and seeing what happens when dogs slip through the cracks, the states have bigger fish to fry than tattoo ids at the same time these should really be used by qualified people like veterinarians, breeders and  groomers certified in their use. Dogs skin is built differently than human skin and human tattoo artist would need to know the difference and possibly need different needles if they tattooed dogs in order to minimize discomfort.

Add: http://www.nationaldogregistry.com/nopai...

"Pet tattoos are not like human tattoos, because there are distinct dimensional differences between the structures of human and animal skin. The epidermis, or top layer of skin, on a human is much thicker, and the lower skin layers are more uneven than the layers of canine or feline skin. The epidermis is the layer of skin that dries up and flakes off, so to tattoo effectively, the ink must be inserted just below it. On humans, the tattoo must go much deeper into the skin, because of the thickness and uneven shape of the epidermis. Canine and feline epidermis is much thinner and is very regular and even. As a result, the tattoo does not need to penetrate as deeply into the skin."

Answer 7

DOg tattoos are used for identification purposes. I dont agree with using it on ordinary pets, where the dog lives in a yard, goes for walks, etc. Also the above dogs can wear a collor and tag to be identified (or microchipped)

However, I dont believe it is necessarily cruel and I honestly battle to find sense in calling this cruel when we are prepared to put our dog through an op to get their testicals cut off (as important as it is).  

I have trained 3 hound breeds recently and they all had been tattoed. DOgs who are used as hunting dogs often cannot where collars with ID tags due to the fact that collars can get caught on trees, etc and dog tags just will not last on a dogs collar for long. Another reason for it is, that its important to understand that dogs trained in hunting or tracking are not ordinary dogs and can be worth a small fortune. Many people may find a dog like this, remove its collar and keep it.

Yes, I know ur asking....why not just use Microchips? Yet even Microchips have its drawbracks. Firstly, hunting dogs are mainly used in rural areas where a vet is a hassle to try to get hold of or incredibly expensive. Secondly, not all vets have microchip scanners and thirdly vets only scan if asked to (going back to the point of people stealing dogs.)

Tattoos are easy to spot, are permanent and reduce the chance of a dog being nicked.  

Answer 8

Dogs are tattooed with special letters and numbers for identification purposes.  If a tattooed dog is found, the tattoo should be called in to Tattoo-A-Pet (or another registry) which will alert the owner that you have her/his lost dog.  Tattooing dogs, usually on the inner thigh or ear, was more popular before micro-chipping came along.  Some people have their dogs tattooed AND micro-chipped...and have collar ID tags as well.

Yes, these tattoo machines are perfectly legal and are widely used by owners of very valuable dogs.

Answer 9

Yes its legal.

I actually looked into doing pet tattoos for extra income.. but wasnt sure if the start-up costs would really pay out in the end.

You can buy tattoo guns and ink and do your own tats on human skin.. so why would this be any different?  As long as the things are only used to tattoo dogs for ID purposes, then its not cruel.

Answer 10

Tattoo ID is a good idea. It's a permanant way to identify your dog. However, it should only be done by professionals. I would never buy a do-it-yourself tattoo kit for a dog and I'm sort of surprised to see them available for sale.

Answer 11

Yes,they are legal,and the tattoo is not that painful for the dog,just a little uncomfortable - I'm sure a tail - docking or ear-cropping is much worse.It is done on the ear and is very quick. Tattoos are not just used on hunting dogs,they are used on pets,too.The only problem with an ear tattoo is that ears can be cut off - and yes,it happens. People who steal dogs to sell to laboratories and puppy mills would just cut the tattooed ear off so the dog couldn't be identified. That's why it's better to have your vet tattoo the dog on the inside of the thigh or on the belly,or micro-chip the dog. I don't like hunting,either,and my dogs aren't tattooed,but I don't think it's cruel to tattoo a dog.

http://www.ambassedorrottweilers.com/rot...

Edit: For those of you saying it's cruel - what about people who get their newborn babies' ears pierced? And as I mentioned before,ear-cropping and tail-docking.Even a quicked nail probably hurts more than a tattoo does.