Our beloved dogs and cats need the best protection they can get. That includes protection that will help their finder know how to care for them while lost and widen the network of contacts to include other people who know your beloved pet.Virtual Leash is an online way to extend this protection for your pet should he wander off or get lost. It is his own website and can contain photos, important information, such as your pet’s quirks, allergies or health needs, and contact information to reach the owners and their family or neighbours. You can specify how these other people wish to be notified, whether by phone, email, Twitter or Facebook, and Google maps will open up to show where the animal can be dropped off.

Virtual Leash is a division of Dog Tag Art, a North Carolina company that makes tough, eye-catching, individualized dog tags. Once you purchase your own individualized dog tag for $12.99, you can sign up for a website at Virtual Leash. Your pet’s website receives a number, and that number will be included on the dog tag you have just ordered, along with his website address. Any stranger finding him wandering the streets now can go online to the Virtual Leash website, type in the number on the dog tag and hit the “I found this pet” button. Max’s friends will each receive notification and he can be reunited with you with a lot less stress and effort.

Because they love their own pets, and to make this service more widely available, the people at Dog Tag Art are offering the Virtual Leash online service with only one contact name for free when you buy one of their personalized dog tags. If you later decide to add other names to your pet’s network of friends, you can go back online and subscribe for a year or for life.

For more information, visit dogtagart.com.