USDA ID Tag Necklace:
Jewelry That Educates

       Back in January 2013, the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project received an email from a Schnauzer rescuer named Mendi, with what may, at first glance, seem like an odd request:

       "Hello, I am a proud owner of a "Tag 19" t-shirt that, over the years, has become overly worn. I am looking to acquire a used USDA tag from a rescued mill dog. Why?... you ask? I want to wear it as a necklace/ conversation piece to help educate people about puppy mills. My best friend has two mill rescues and she uses the tags in this manner. Although all of my pets are rescues, none of them are mill releases. Please let me know if there is a way to help me get this message across with a tag of my own."

       Knowing the story behind that "Tag 19" tee shirt, we thought Mendi's idea was an excellent one! See, that's "Little Tag 19," aka Mariah Hope, in the small photo at the top of the page. Mariah Hope was a puppy mill breeder dog for the first 10 years of her life. Look a little closer at the photo -- Mariah's "jewelry" was a necklace of rusted chain with her mill ID number on it and "earrings" which were metal cattle tags punched through her ears! (Read Mariah Hope's story here). Mariah's legacy was that we all try to educate the public to the horrors of puppy mills and help give the dogs their freedom.

       So, through a little bit of "networking," WPMP and some mill rescuers were able to help Mendi create a striking piece of jewelry.

       The numbers on the small metal tag of Mendi's necklace identify the breeder and the dog -- the large number in the center was likely assigned to a specific dog, with records kept of its breed, gender, birth date, etc. The number on top, 31-B-0136, designated the state (31 - Ohio), the type of license (Class B, licensed to breed and also resell animals), and the certificate number (0136). The large yellow plastic tag was likely on a chain around the dog's neck.

       Nobody can call Mendi's creation "beautiful" in the usual sense, but she says as intended, the necklace has started several conversations: "I have a coworker who is dead set against adopting and thinks I'm a nut ball for altering my personal wants to help animals. Even she was appalled at the conditions these dogs live in. (She googled it after seeing the necklace) The biggest reactions seem to be the astonishment at the USDA's involvement in puppy milling!"

       NOTE: Please see below for more information on the USDA's rules for identifying animals. For more on the USDA/APHIS Animal Welfare Act, which sets down the rules and standards of care for commercial dog breeders who sell wholesale to brokers or pet stores, please click here. (Note: Wisconsin is one of the few states with dog sellers' regulations that apply to ALL dog sellers, including internet and other "direct sales." For more about Wisconson 2009 Act 90, please click here.)