Kristen Thompson, customer care tech, scans a cat in search of a microchip to identify the pet's owner. (Post / John Leyba)

The Pros

The advantages of inserting a microchip in your pet are numerous:

• As we have already said, the procedure is quick and causes no pain for your pet;
• It is highly effective in returning pets to their owners when they go missing;
• The presence of the microchip and the information contained on the chip register demonstrates who owns the pet in the event someone else takes your missing animal in and decides to give them a “new home”;
• Microchips are usually used for cats and dogs but they are also eminently suitable for a wide range of other pets and animals, including livestock;
• The chip reader information is always clear and will never fade unlike a tattoo;
• Chipping your pet is permanent unlike using a collar and tag; and
• Shelters and the police will automatically scan a found pet to see if the animal has a chip.

Chipping your pet dramatically increases the odds of being reunited with them if they go missing compared to traditional forms of finding a missing animal.

This is not to say that there aren’t any drawbacks to the micro-chipping your pet.

The Cons

• Some microchips are not readable by different types of chip reader, so even if your pet is chipped, unless the shelter is operating the appropriate type of reader, your pet’s microchip may not actually be detected and read;
• Microchips are not visible and there is nothing to say that a pet has been chipped unless there is an additional identifying tag on their collar, though collars and tags may be lost as well – this leads to the possibility that your pet may be “adopted” by the finder who may be blissfully unaware you own the pet;
• The owner must keep the register updated with their contact information and frequently there are costs involved in maintaining the entry and for making any changes to it;
• The chip can migrate within your pet’s body which may make it impossible to read with a scanner;
• Microchips are not GPS tracking devices, so they do not give the animal’s position if it goes missing though many people assume this is in fact the case;
• The technology is not widely known to the general public who may therefore not know that the pet should be scanned in the first place – this means it is essential to still tag your pet and also to make it clear that there is microchip inserted; and
• When a pet does go missing, owners with an animal which has been chipped tend to assume the pet will be returned to them because of this.  As a result, they neglect to take action to locate their pet themselves, such as calling the shelters and placing missing posters around the neighborhood.

Asset Tags by Maverick Label – Mark Trumper

Creating an asset register is as simple as creating a spreadsheet – for those who are not computer literate, all you need is a sheet of lined paper with several ruled columns indicating the date, the name and type of asset with an allocated serial number and any other information you wish to track, such as location or staff member responsible for it for instance.

Each asset needs to be marked or affixed with a suitable asset tag or label.  Asset labels need to be robust and capable of withstanding hard use as well as dealing with environmental factors such as being stored outside where the weather and elements operate.  Typically, they are coated with a very strong and weatherproof adhesive which also makes them remarkably difficult to remove by thieves.  It is not uncommon to find asset labels and tags to be made from sturdy aluminum foil which makes them virtually indestructible and suitable for the most hard-wearing environments.

Arranging for sequential asset numbers to be printed is simple – asset label printers who are experienced in providing these products are very capable of delivering asset tags which can be sequentially numbered and ready for you to allocate as a serial number to individual assets.  More advanced asset labels can carry a barcode which contains much more detailed information than a simple serial number.

Barcode labels can carry a wide range of information including inception and termination dates, maintenance and upgrade information as well as simple identity markers demonstrating ownership.  With a cheap barcode scanner you can also integrate asset tracking directly into your computer based asset register and software packages such as QuickBooks, provide a simple means of integrating your asset tracking with your accounting system.

Asset labels are at the core of protecting your business assets – they provide a visible marker and stamp of your ownership which in itself, acts as a deterrent to thieves or those looking to use your property when they are not authorized to.  They also will simplify your asset tracking and especially when you have equipment being used off-site or by contractors – this is essential if you are to protect your property and engender a sense of responsibility in users.  Asset tracking  is also an essential requirement for your accounting when it comes to being able to demonstrate that the assets you own and are reflected in your balance sheet and accounts, are in fact in your physical possession and do exist.

Talk to your print partner about how asset labels can be put to work for your business – they are simple to source and easy to use and the cost is minimal compared to the value of the assets they track and protect.

Now depending on what type of property you are placing an asset tag upon will determine what material you want to use when choosing a property label – and there are many materials to choose from.

Label Styles

Asset tags are made of various types of materials. One is polyester – 2 mil –metalized matte silver with permanent adhesive or the polyester – 2 mil -gloss white. This material is heat resistant, as well as abrasion, tearing, and stretch resistant. This type of asset tag is used for placing a label on a lap top, desk top computer, office furniture or other office items, and cell phones to let their identity known to others. Not only is this type of asset tag material good in the office but it is also good for industrial related machinery due to the fact that it does well under heat and a lot of physical stress.

Security Asset Tags

If security is your purpose for searching out asset tags, then the security polyester-2 mil-silver permanent tag is your best choice. It is tamper resistant and provides a mirror finish with the word “VOID” on it when the label has been removed. Not only does the word just show up on the remaining bit of label, but it also remains on the property as well with its unique adhesive design. Once this type of label has been removed it cannot be replaced. A new label must be created and replaced on the property.

Asset tags are a great way to protect your property, keep inventory of what you have with the scanning features that many labels allow as you would see in many department stores. Perhaps you have a large movie or a large CD collection and you want to be sure that your property stays your property. Adding a label each case and scanning it into a computer will help you to keep track of what you have and what you don’t.

You can order various types of asset tags online. One popular website is Maverick Label. Ordering from this website is fairly easy and not very expensive. It’s a great way to obtain the labels you will need to protect and ID your items.

Related articles

• Estate Planning for Digital Assets (lawprofessors.typepad.com)
• Make Sure Your Asset Tags & Labels Work: Surface Preparation (easyorderassettags.com)
• High Cost of Office Theft (easyorderassettags.com)