# Need help identifying a tattoo on a rescue dog



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I just spotted a tattoo on the flank of a rescued GSD I'm fostering for a pubic shelter. The tattoo number is not registered with the AKC, unfortunately, or the national tattoo registry. 

Can anyone offer any thoughts as to what this tattoo means? The entire tattoo is as follows:

*7941
H*

She had no chip or tags, so this is the only possible link back to her old life and family. Someone clearly loved her, and she's had some training, so I'm pretty sure there's someone out there missing her.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Most of the thigh tatoos mean something only to the owner of the dog. It's only to be used as a way of proving the dog belongs to them, but it is useless as a means of getting them back to their people. I don't understand why someone would tatoo but not chip.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

AKC Companion Animal Recovery - Tel: 1-800-252-7894; Fax: (919) 233-1290; Email: [email protected]
Identipet - Tel: 1-800-243-9147
National Animal ID Center (Natchez MS) - 800-647-6761
NDR--National Dog Registry (Woodstock NY) - Tel.: 1-800-637-3647 (800-NDRDOGS)
National Stock Dog Registry (Butler IN) - 800-538-7677
Pet Protection Plus (Memphis TN) - 800-238-7387
Tattoo-a-pet - Tel: 1-800-TATTOOS
United Schutzhund Clubs of America - Tel: (314) 638-9686; Fax: (314) 638-0609; Email: [email protected].
US Kennel Club Inc (Bellmore NY) - 800-352-8752


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Dog Tattoo Schemes for the German Shepherd Dog


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Elaine said:


> Most of the thigh tatoos mean something only to the owner of the dog. It's only to be used as a way of proving the dog belongs to them, but it is useless as a means of getting them back to their people. I don't understand why someone would tatoo but not chip.


I was afraid of that. The tattoo is not showing up in any of the registries I've contacted (though a few haven't gotten back to me yet, so maybe there's still hope), and it doesn't conform to any of the ID patterns I've seen online. 

The lack of microchip is especially vexing as this dog looks like she is from American show lines (sharp angulation, steeply sloping back), and she walks with a show gait (prancing front paws and low rear in back). She has had substantial training and is well-socialized. Someone invested a lot of time in her. Despite her sweet disposition, she was at risk of being selected for euthanasia to make space in the shelter yesterday, but we've got a good foster home line up for her now. I'm positive someone is missing her, though.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Sunflowers said:


> Dog Tattoo Schemes for the German Shepherd Dog


Thanks. I already contacted all the USA contacts listed on that page before posting here, and I've come up empty so far (though I'm still waiting for a few responses).

I will email the others in your other post that weren't on this webpage though.


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## Katie and Kai's Mommy (May 8, 2012)

Sorry no help with the tattoo, just wanted to say Hi, as I think I "know" you from another forum....there I'm Katieboosmama. I wanted to pm you there when we got our GSD puppy, but that was about the time you wrote the post about your loss, and getting Fiona. I didn't want to intrude. If I am wrong about who you are, I'm Sorry, didn't mean to derail.  Welcome to the forum!


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## PatchonGSD (Jun 27, 2012)

What state was she found in??


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

PatchonGSD said:


> What state was she found in??


Louisiana.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Katie and Kai's Mommy said:


> Sorry no help with the tattoo, just wanted to say Hi, as I think I "know" you from another forum....there I'm Katieboosmama. I wanted to pm you there when we got our GSD puppy, but that was about the time you wrote the post about your loss, and getting Fiona. I didn't want to intrude. If I am wrong about who you are, I'm Sorry, didn't mean to derail.  Welcome to the forum!


Yep, same Magwart with the same darling Fiona-puppy. I saw on the other board you had a GSD puppy, and I was very happy for you! Congrats on the new addition to your family.


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## PatchonGSD (Jun 27, 2012)

Well I have googled my butt off and cant find anything dog related as far as the tattoo. 
I did notice that the exact number 7941H did pop up as being the house number for a couple different addresses....but not in Louisiana. One was in CT. As Elaine said above, if this tattoo is nothing more than a means to prove ownership and it only means something to the owner, perhaps it is linked to the address that the dog came from? Maybe she isnt from Louisiana and was being transported some where for whatever reason and escaped and is now lost......?


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

PatchonGSD said:


> Well I have googled my butt off and cant find anything dog related as far as the tattoo.
> I did notice that the exact number 7941H did pop up as being the house number for a couple different addresses....but not in Louisiana. One was in CT. As Elaine said above, if this tattoo is nothing more than a means to prove ownership and it only means something to the owner, perhaps it is linked to the address that the dog came from? Maybe she isnt from Louisiana and was being transported some where for whatever reason and escaped and is now lost......?


Thanks so much for your help! Anything is possible, especially since she showed up at the shelter during a holiday week when people are on the go. She's a dog that's used to going out for trips in the car (she gets excited when I head to my car and wants to ride), so she could very well have been traveling with someone. 

I have one lead that the CKC tats sometimes look like this, so I'll check with them. I've now emailed or called every single breeder in the state, as well as a handler who works with American show-line dogs. I even emailed the local obedience clubs, in hope of finding a trainer who has a client with a missing dog.

Someone also just reported to me that some people use last 4 numbers of SS# and an initial on tats, so this could be an example of that too. And it will lead nowhere, as Elaine said.

It is sad that someone invested dollars to put an obscure, meaningless tat on this dog instead of a microchip. She would be home now if she were chipped.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Have you tried websites such as www.fidofinder.com? There are many female GSDs that are posted as being recently lost.


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## CeCe (Jun 1, 2011)

Did the person who checked her for a chip scan just her neck? Sometimes the chip migrates so the whole body needs to be scanned. I'd bring her into a vet or pet store to check one more time. Has she been bred? A tattoo on a flank is unusual so it could be a puppy mill ID of some sort.


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## The Packman (Jan 31, 2011)

Ask your local tattoo artist !

BTW: I'd go along with Magwart...it is probably someones _last four._


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Yep, checked lots of those lost dog sites, but no matches. Same with Craigslist, and the local lost-and-found-pet page on Facebook. There's no trace of her anywhere.

The stray dogs get scanned at the shelter for chips at least twice, once on intake, and again by the shelter vet when they are vetted before leaving with fosters. They _say _they are careful to check shoulders and sides as well as necks for chips (the vet is definitely aware of migration potential). I may have my own vet try scanning her one more time, though.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and help.

Well, I've struck out with all my emails and phone calls, and we did rescan her at my vet too. Even folks in Germany have never seen this tat format. I did have well respected local breeder who was curious about the tat take a look and while she didn't recognize the tat, she did happily identify this dog as likely being bred by Margaret Trahan, before she passed away. 

Anyway, she'll be rehomed, and she's now recovering from her spay. A gorgeous, relatively young dog (3 y.o.) with obedience skills, a calm, easy-going disposition, and excellent dog and human social skills AND who's a big sweetie will have no shortage of people who want her. If only they were all this adoptable.


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