Pet Tags: An Overview

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When a pet is lost, a pet ID tag is often the only way to find its owner. In the growing US pet market, the demand for pet tags is booming. Annual ID tag sales now surpass $155 million with more than 18 million pet tags sold.

Pet tags include the name of the pet and owner, and the owner’s address, phone number, and other relevant information. Artwork and logos may also be included. Pet tags can be designed using different materials, such as aluminum, brass, metal, plastic, and stainless steel, and in a wide range of colors, shapes and sizes (small, large and extra large). Tiny pint-size tags are especially designed for kittens, puppies and other small pets. These tags contain name, address and telephone number of pet owner. Each tag comes with a hole and is designed to be hung from a collar.

Creating and designing a pet tag is an art and big business. Durability and legibility of the tag determines whether the lost pet will reach its home or not. Hardware to wear the tag is equally important and should be of good quality. All tags should have an eyelet to put it in collar of the pet. The size of pet should be considered while selecting tags. Lightweight tiny tags are best for small size dogs and kittens. Tiny tags are still large enough to carry four lines of information just like normal-size tags. Pets should not be burdened with more than one tag.

Plastic tags can be chewed by the pet, especially teething puppies. They may be break proof but not chew proof. Quality plastic tags should be preferred. Stainless steel tags do not rust. Engraved text is very clear, legible, and looks good on steel tags. Stamped stainless steel tags may not be as good and readable as engraved ones. But brass tags are not as durable as stainless steel because brass is a soft metal. Even lacquer-coated brass tags do not last long. Vending machines can produce aluminum tags but these machines cannot engrave on stainless steel. Tags of aluminum, which is very soft metal, are inexpensive.

Pet tags are very affordable. Blank tags cost as little as quarter, while a complete pet tag can cost as little as $3.00. In some parts of the world, permanent pet tags are issued at-cost or even free.

Pet tags for dogs are the most popular form of pet tags. Dog pet tags display address and telephone number of the owner. In the case of a lost dog, this means that it easily can be sent back to respective owners. Metal tags worn around a dog’s neck in its collar are a good means of identification. Data on pet dog tags may consist of allergy details, artwork, medication, logo, picture, and text. They can be personalized. Tags can be produced in matching colors and desired sizes. Double sided engraving tags may cost as little as $5.00. Many tags have separate lines for name, address, city, pin and so on.

Readily available and easily affordable, pet tags are vital for ensuring that if your pet gets lost, it will have a good chance of being found and returned to you.

HOA Or No HOA – The Advantages of Restrictive Covenants

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Every so often a client comes to me and says, “I just want an acre in the country where I can do what I want, without some Homeowner’s Association telling me what color I can paint my front door!” Then I have to explain to them that, as appealing as it sounds to have an acre in the country, it’s not usually a good idea.

I remember showing a home somewhere on the outskirts of Garner, NC. The home was a very nice single-family ranch, built on an acre or two of land in the unincorporated part of the county. I’m sure those folks wanted to live where no HOA could tell them what to do, and they got what they wanted — or thought they wanted. The problem was, there was no HOA to tell their neighbors what to do, either — and built right next to them was something that looked like a motorcycle repair shop.

What effect does a machine shop have on a residential property nearby? In this case, it brought the value down by $20,000 or more — and made it a lot harder find a buyer, one who would tolerate having a noisy business next door. Would you? Probably not.

Truth is, land use is never truly “anything goes,” even out in the middle of what seems like nowhere. Every piece of property has restrictions on it. Outside the cities, those restrictions are imposed by the county zoning and building codes, as well as state, federal, and local regulations regarding environmental concerns.

Cities impose municipal ordinances and codes, much more specific and restrictive than what prevails out in the county. For example, you don’t ever have to mow your grass out in the county — but in the city they’ll fine you after it gets so many inches tall. Some cities are more liberal, while other cities are more picky.

You can be sure that some governmental entity has an interest in each and every acre of land and how it is being used. Beyond those regulations, every subdivision (speaking in the strict sense of land that has been subdivided) has restrictive covenants which were recorded at the time the subdivision was platted. For example, a subdivision may require that all homes built have a minimum square footage. It may prohibit or allow manufactured or modular homes — that one is common. It may prohibit or allow livestock, or limit the number of dogs. If the developer wants to sell his lots for a good price, he has to assure his buyers that they won’t wake up one day next to a double wide — or a motorcycle repair shop.

Subdivided land always has Restrictive Covenants; having an Homeowner’s Association is optional. The existence of an HOA usually depends on whether or not there are dues. Any subdivision that collects dues has to have an organization to administer the money. Some communities have voluntary dues, which means they’ve voluntarily created an HOA to address common issues.

It’s true that some HOA’s are overzealous in their enforcement of the Restrictive Covenants, but those regulations were not created just to harass people about the color of their front doors. Their express purpose is to protect the residents’ property values.

Rather than focusing on the HOA, a buyer should check over the Restrictive Covenants before purchasing. Regardless of whether or not the community has an active HOA, Restrictive Covenants run with the land and their provisions should be taken seriously. Many a buyer has “assumed” that he would be able to do something important to his happiness, such as park his boat or RV on his newly acquired property, only to discover too late that the Restrictive Covenants would not allow it.

The time to examine the Restrictive Covenants is before purchase. It is not unusual to write into an Offer to Purchase, “Contingent upon Buyer’s approval of Restrictive Covenants.” The seller or listing agent should be able to provide a copy; these days they are often available online.