# Rescue with an ear tattoo



## mychance

Save A Shepherd just took in an owner surrendered 5 year old male and he's got an ear tattoo. The previous owner can't remember the breeder's name (the breeder is/was in Michigan) and lost the puppy paperwork. Is there any way to use the tattoo to find the breeder's information? 

The dog is safely in foster care with my family (likely to be a foster failure :wub, but SASRA does try to let breeders know if their dog ends up in rescue and it would be nice to know more about his background.


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## onyx'girl

What is the tat #? Working or showline?


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## Discoetheque

What is the tattoo number?
Sometimes, you can try Googling it. With any hope, someone will have typed it into a database like HomeAgain, Find My Pet or any of those others where it may come up in a search.


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## mychance

onyx'girl said:


> What is the tat #? Working or showline?


LOL. You are giving me MUCH too much credit. How do you know the difference?


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## mychance

Discoetheque said:


> What is the tattoo number?
> Sometimes, you can try Googling it. With any hope, someone will have typed it into a database like HomeAgain, Find My Pet or any of those others where it may come up in a search.


Tried Google, got nothing. The tattoo is TO8HO1.


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## onyx'girl

I'll share this on a MI dog sport page, someone may recognize it...what color is the dog? Can you share a photo?


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## mychance

onyx'girl said:


> I'll share this on a MI dog sport page, someone may recognize it...what color is the dog? Can you share a photo?


Thanks! Although he's from Michigan, he's been in the Philly area most of his life (long story), don't know if that makes a difference. I'll have to relearn how to post a photo here, but he is on the Save A Shepherd Rescue Alliance Facebook page in the meantime. (Floyd at the Souderton Holiday parade) He's a pretty darn handsome black & red.


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## Discoetheque

I don't recognize the pattern.  I'm floating the tattoo number out to a couple of my contacts to see if they know what kennel he might be from.


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## mychance




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## onyx'girl

He is a showline, just so you have that info...


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## Jelpy

My Stars, he's a handsome fella. 

Jelpy




mychance said:


>


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## Discoetheque

Does Kolenda or Alta Tollhaus tattoo? Could it be one of their sequences? 
vom Heiss? vonWitte?


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## doggiedad

contact the AKC.


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## Rangers_mom

onyx'girl said:


> He is a showline, just so you have that info...


How do you know he is show line? Is it his picture or is it his tatoo number? 

As you can tell I don't know much about GSDs.


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## Rangers_mom

mychance said:


>


Wow, he is handsome. And he seems to have a quiet confident look.


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## Rangers_mom

mychance said:


>





doggiedad said:


> contact the AKC.


This is an interesting thread. Ranger has an ear tatto but he is not registered with the AKC. Now I am wondering what use that ear tattoo is. How would anybody garner any info from it if he were lost? Maybe I should get a microchip.


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## Rangers_mom

Hmm, sorry. I didn't mean to post the pic again.


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## stmcfred

I know Alta Tollhaus does 




Discoetheque said:


> Does Kolenda or Alta Tollhaus tattoo? Could it be one of their sequences?
> vom Heiss? vonWitte?


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## onyx'girl

Tammy Howard of T-Ho GSD's in Lansing may be the breeder(according to people who know her). Here is the only contact I can find for her: Dog Training: Nana N Paws Doggie Daycare Nana-n-Paws
I asked one of her friends to alert her to your rescue so she will be made awared one of her dogs is possibly there.


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## Rangers_mom

Sorry to ask again, but how do these tattoos work? Is there any way to tell where the tattoo is from? I had always thought that Ranger's tattoo would help me get him back if he were ever lost (knock wood that that never happens). Now I am thinking it is almost useless. Is microchipping better than tattooing?


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## Magwart

What a helpful lead from Jane!

If it turns out to be a dog from that breeder, and she steps up to take care of a dog she produced, will you please post that in this thread as a follow-up? 

The ethical, responsible breeders who are a safety net for their dogs, whenever those dogs end up in shelter or rescue, deserve to have that demonstration of good character acknowledged (and have that fact preserved in Google search results).


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## Smithie86

Send the tattoo # to USCA, WDA and SV to verify if they have something on file.


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## wolfstraum

If the tatoo is registered on the AKC papers, it is useful...if it is a pattern recognized by USCA or the SV - it is likely trackable....for other European registries, it is a bit more problematic unless you know someone in one of those countries who can help...I am trying to track down a dog born (hopefully!!!) in the Netherlands whose papers are lost...we do have a microchip and hopefully a tatoo number in a passport on him...

A USCA pattern tattoo reads like this

AA (Region/tattooer ID) 3 (year of birth 2003) QC (Kennel ID - mine used) C (litter letter - ie - the C litter) 5 (puppy number in the litter - alpha numbic, males first) - 

AA3QCC5 - this would be my Csabre's tatoo....(except I don't remember the first 2 letters! and am too lazy to go look them up) and most of the breeders who used USCA tattoos would recognize it and could be verified by the office...

The dog is obviously showlines by his photo....substantial handsome black and red dog....some working lines do come in that color too...but this one *looks* showline breeding.

Lee


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## Springbrz

I called tattoo-a-pet. (Tattoo-a-pet.com 1 800 828 8667) Boy was that woman long winded. Long and short of it. She said she could tell that by the number the dog is a German import. She avoided elaborating any further. She recommended that the rescue pay the $25 registration fee to register the tattoo to the rescue ( they want their money to give info). Then they would help with locating the breeder for information on the dog. Once the dog is registered to the rescue , if in the future the dog is lost or put in a shelter or SPCA the rescue would be notified. 
I got the impression that the woman knew who the breeder was and where the dog and originally came from (she did say Germany) but wouldn't say unless the fee was paid. NILF attitude. 
Any who, hope in some small way this is helpful...
Good luck!

Terri


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## brembo

So, it's a known entity. The knowledge base here outta be able to winkle it out. Save your money for the time being, lets the GS.com pros find out for ya.


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## mychance

I've come to the conclusion that the next time I misplace my checkbook, I'll post it here. You guys are amazing detectives! Thanks for all the ideas and information. Floyd is a wonderful boy (and we think he's very handsome too) and is happily snoozing on the floor next to me. If we are able to track back to his breeder, it would be great to let her know that he is happy, healthy, and well. If not, I really appreciate all the details and knowledge shared here about him (showline, possibly German) and the protocol for tattoos.


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