A couple weeks ago I was walking home from my coffee shop and came across a man who lived in my neighborhood handing out flyers. His dog had run away (right after a bath and therefore didn’t have her collar on). I stayed outside with him for over an hour, walking around the park calling out her name, Blackstarr.

The temperature was rapidly dropping–this was days before we had the record low temperature of 3 degrees. After an hour and a half, I had to get home for a phone meeting–it just broke my heart to leave this guy on his own. I still don’t know if he found Blackstarr. I tried calling him and never heard back…which leaves my mind to thinking the worst, of course. The night that the temperature dropped so dramatically, I held Bebop and Red close to me and cried for Blackstarr and every other stray and lost animal that had to brave the elements that cold night.

Bebop is micro-chipped, but neither of my dogs had tags on their collar. That night, I ordered them these gorgeous copper pressed tags made by DawgTown. They are truly stunning. I can’t wait to take a few more photos so you can really see how beautiful they are. Jackie did an amazing job–and for only a few bucks more than the shitty ones you get from Petco, you can have a true work of art.

I would be an absolute wreck if one of my dogs ran away or got lost. But at least now I know that I’ve done everything I can to prevent this and prepare for it if it does happen.