Inspired by, and borrowing the graphic from, an earlier post from @LadyButterfly@piefed.blahaj.zone

Who takes their dogs collar off? If they get out, their location and everything is right on it.

Lots of people. We're a "no shoes, no collar" house.

Both dogs are trained to not bolt out the door when it opens, and I've got a fenced yard.

There’s always ways out, seems like a foolish and non-responsible thing to do. A window screen can get knocked out and the dogs gone, dogs can jump fences, training means nothing if a rabbit comes into view, just to mention a few off the top of my head.

Do you have a lock on your gate to prevent some neighbourhood kid from leaving it open?

Incredibly irresponsible, it’s so simple to do and keeps your animals safer if something happens. Not to mention if a burglar gets in or your house starts on fire.

It also gets your dogs used to it, and do your dogs a favor and walk it with a harness anyways. Walking them with a collar is just bad practice, hurts their necks at a minimum, it also leads to excessive lead pulling.

Let me worry about my own dogs, yeah? We do walk with a harness, putting on shoes (me) and collars (dogs) before we go out has been a literal routine for years, and they do always wear their collars when they're new and in training for exactly the reasons you all are harping about. We even do emergency drills for things like tornado warnings where I say "danger, danger" and they know to head to the basement (where I keep backup collars + ID tags and vet records).

For fuck's sake, it's a cute dog meme and y'all are pouncing on one trivial line in the caption like I'm the worst animal abuser in the world for wanting my dogs to be comfortable around the house. There are too many miniscule-chance-of-that-ever-happening "what if"s to worry about that I'm not going to live my life in a safety bubble. The yard is fenced, we're in suburbia, they're both chipped, they're both trained, they're both socialized, the neighbors all know them, and we're doing just fine thank you very much.

Geesh, the number of people around here who always have to be right is staggering and extremely off-putting.

There are too many small-chance-of-that-ever-happening "what ifs" to worry about that I'm not going to live my life in a safety bubble.

I mean it’s something you don’t need to worry about if it’s always on them, and that’s also exactly why they are on them. It’s no different than having a fire extinguisher, I don’t plan on burning my house down, but its responsible to have it, and irresponsible (illegal in places too) to NOT have them.

I’m sorry you feel being a responsible pet owner is a burden. You’re also the one making a mountain out of a simple question, your link even agrees with it being irresponsible, so reap what you sow mate.

You’re also the one defending being a nonresponsible pet owner, so who’s the one fighting to be right…?

You can justify it all you want it’s just plainly being irresponsible, being a pet owner comes with responsibilities, like keeping them safe in worst case scenarios. It can be the same as being an abuser, you just don’t realize it until it’s too late and happened, but guess what. It’s preventable, don’t be that one. It would be abuse to not collar your dog and thatswhy it was lost or hurt. But defend this I guess.

Also your dogs not uncomfortable with it on, that’s pure BS, if it is, get a better one. Yeesh, of course something worn infrequently isn’t comfortable, same for humans. Wear a shirt too small, you’re gonna want it off too.

It’s also in case you dog gets out and hurts someone, so they can hold you accountable too, so yeah, your also not doing your public duty to protect them either.

I don’t use collars on my dogs, but we have a harness for walks. I long ago stopped using collars with so much info about me, my dog, my phone, etc… microchips take care of the lost part in the very unlikely event my dogs leave me.

You don’t need to put so much information on it, and if it’s registered, like it should be, the number pulls the information up. Your information isn’t “public”.

Microchips are an additional step you can take, but having a visual identification is better, always. Microchips only work if you take them to a vet or animal control. If your address is on there, a Good Samaritan can return it and avoid holding fees at the vet or pound.

It’s not that simple, sorry,

Do you guys really not take your dog's collar off? Is this an across the pond thing? In Australia most people I know don't leave their dog collars on when they're at home. If somehow your dog got out, other people usually call animal services. Dogs are microchipped, vets can scan it and you can do it yourself with your phone on the newer ones.

My dogs are a lot more comfortable with their collars off at home. If I forget to take it off they refuse to nap or try to grab at it with their paws.

Edit: Lol, responded to the wrong post cause I just woke up.

That just sounds like you have an uncomfortable one and maybe aren’t used to it. My dogs feel naked without it, same way I do without underwear on.

Being irresponsible is a perfectly valid reason for calling someone out lol. In fact, it’s the only way to correct the behavior usually.

Probably just a habit thing. Guessing they just think something is wrong cos we haven't taken the collar off yet.

Also nothing wrong with freeballing it at home.

Yo these people are weirdos for putting you on blast for no reason. I also take my dog's harness off inside the house. If I leave it on him his fur gets matted to heck, and if it's any looser he can slip out. Let these pearl-clutching "won't anyone think of the puppies" people live in their own little fantasy world of escape artist dogs and dog stealing burglars. You don't gotta justify yourself.

My dog only wears her collar when she's outside.

Edit: you have to catch a dog to read a collar, so it's not that much different than a microchip.

I take their harnesses off because they cuddle in bed with me and I don't want the plastic and metal parts jamming into me while I sleep. I don't use neck collars since they're just for identification and they're chipped.

Dogs are almost always microchipped.

Anyone can scan a dog and see who its owner is.

You have to catch a dog to read the collar anyway.

You folks are being way too hyper critical.

It's so cool how you can see all possible futures for every dog on earth. Dogtor Strange in the house. I am writhing with envy over here. In the off chance that you cannot do that, however, how's about you step off and mind your own business?

You know there are real problems in the world, right? Like, issues that are actually affecting people? Do you write to your political representative with this much verve?

P.S. "I have to correct what I see as moral missteps of on-line strangers" is a silly stance.

There's a cadre of crazies in this thread. I don't think they're open to rational thought, lol. Just a bunch of collar/harness extremists who think they know what's best for all dogs in every situation.

You don’t have to.

A house can burn down, so you have a fire extinguisher.
Your dog can get out, so you have a collar onthem with identification, usually the municipal registration.

It’s about being responsible, if you’re not being responsible for your pet, that usually translates to other parts of your life too. Like not having an extinguisher, or other very simple and basic preventative things can do to minimize the unexpected.

It’s also kinda like car insurance, it’s great when it’s needed, but otherwise useless. We do lots of stuff like this already, you can do the same for your pet.

Lol, wanna read my palm too?

Not mandatory.

Need a device, so no.

Yeah and?

No, it’s basic pet responsibility.

Being irresponsible is perfectly valid for calling someone out.

I would do the same if you don’t have an extinguisher in your house, or didn’t have car insurance.

It’s the most basic thing you can do to be a responsible pet owner.

Yes your dog needs to have a collar and tags at all times. Chipped or not.

Anyone can read a tag, you need a device to read a microchip. If it’s just a registration #, you can call animal control, don’t need to take them in to get scanned.

They only need a license tag when out in public in my state. That goes on the harness. They do not need a collar nor does the tag need to be on at all times. And given your other comment about them being readable by a person: My license tags just have a serial number with their name on it. It's not gonna help find a lost pet outside of a pound or vet that can search it up; which is exactly what the chip does.

You could just train your dog to not run away from home, I'd call that the most basic thing you can do as a responsible pet owner.

Also not everyone lives in a house. If my dog "slips out", hes got nowhere to go except an apartment hallway. That's well worth not having matted fur around his neck.

My license tags just have a serial number with their name on it. It's not gonna help find a lost pet outside of a pound or vet that can search it up; which is exactly what the chip does.

You can call animal control and get the owners information with the serial #, you’re avoiding a few steps by having one. They are not “exactly” like a chip, a microchip, if they have one, you don’t know unless you take them in as well, you need to take them in for. Taking them to the vet or animal control, they usually take them, which incurs costs for them to hold.

A tag is just objectively simpler, and better.

Training your dog to act properly is the most basic thing.

You can have the best trained dog in the world, it’s still going to misbehave once in a while.

Even the best trained dog can make mistakes. That’s why you have a collar on them.

So once the dog gets into the hallway, there obviously no other doors that lead outside they could get through eh? People prop doors open illegally all the time, if you think that’s a valid reason for being irresponsible… yeah you’re part of the problem lol.

Unless my dog has magically learned to open doors or use an elevator to get down 5 floors, no there aren't. He also has absolutely no desire to leave or explore without me.

I'm guessing you have a small dog? Maybe one with a lot of wanderlust?

My 80 pounds of fluff isn't sneaking anywhere.

Your building has staircases, that’s one propped open door, and then a crash bar at the bottom of the staircase to get outside.

Nope, have got a 130# teddy bear and another 80# myself.

You have way too big of a dog for a condo type building, that’s a different issue entirely.

You can call animal control and get the owners information

No you can't. That would be a breach of privacy. Animal control will ask you bring the dog in for holding and contact the owners themselves. That's why the liscense tags don't have more than a serial number and the animal's name. It also costs nothing to get them checked for a chip at animal control; it costs the owner to get them released.

I'm guessing you don't actually have dogs.

We only put things on when we leave the condo. The dog does not just get out. We control the door.

Heh, the comments really blew up into a heated debate. I just wanted to say: Cool post!

Ours is public, or atleast when signing up you have the option.

I’ve held a dog and they called the owner to come grab it from my place as well. It’s just simpler and easier. Can’t do that with a microtag.

I'm pretty shocked at the way you've been piled on for something so unimportant.

Most days, I hate the internet. This community us usually a nice antidote to all that (pictures of dogs!) but every now and again you get interactions like the one you've just experienced that make me just want to pack it all in.

I'm sorry this happened for you. You sound like a responsible and loving dog owner.

You have no idea where OP lives, and what the requirements or relevant legislation are there.

You're making a huge issue out of something that really isn't one, and accusing OP of being irresponsible because they don't do things exactly the way you do. This is bad faith and projection on your part.

Please stop.

You don’t need to know where someone lives to know doing certain things are responsible or irresponsible.

Doesn’t matter what the legislation is, you should have visible identification on any animal that can get outside.

It’s your public responsibility incase it causes damage for one thing.

But thanks for coming in with the ad hominem.

Running around outside without stretching the muscles first is how you get tears and pulls. Good dog smart dog.

Wow you're just the dog whisperer, you know everything about every dog and every persons situation.

At this point I'm pretty sure you're just trolling and enjoying this.

It's going to be a super rare case anyway. I'm fine with needing to involve animal control in that situation.

You've invented hypothetical scenarios so you can accuse the OP of being irresponsible without having access to all facts.

OP has stated dogs are always collared when they're taken out.

OP has stated dogs are secured at home.

You don't know what area OP is in or if it requires microchipping.

If, in your invented scenario that OP's dog escapes and causes damage, the dog isn't caught, then what practical difference does it make whether the dog has a collar or not?

In the case of a microchipped dog without a collar, you just take it to any veterinarian or whatever your local equivalent of an animal control office is.

I’ve got a water tap in my kitchen, I don’t need an extinguisher.

This is obviously (I hope) a very irresponsible and negligent reasoning, no?

People always justify their negligence, tale as old as time.

Stuff can just be responsible or irresponsible without any additional context, sorry.

I’ve got a water tap in my kitchen, I don’t need an extinguisher.

People always justify their negligence, tale as old as time.

That's a false equivalence and a bad faith argument.

No, it’s about being prepared for the possibility.

Leaving your dog home uncollored because ABCDE, is the same justification. I don’t need an extinguisher, I have water, my dog doesn’t need a collar, I have a fence. Same things

It’s all about preventative measures and responsibility. If something happens, and your dog DOES get out, you’re now not being responsible, I think we can agree on this. So if the chance can happen, prevent it. Like having an extinguisher.

You only think that, because you don’t want to believe it’s irresponsible to have animals at large without visual identification.

Bad faith is saying all of my very real and things that have happened, are hypothetical. Yes I agree the chances are low, that doesn’t mean you can neglect it at your whim. Just like my house catching fire, it can hypothetically happen, so I have an extinguisher, and so should you!

I now have more time to write stuff out, so I'm going to expand on my earlier comment. Also I want you to get another ping on this so you can see how silly I think you are.

if you’re not being responsible for your pet, that usually translates to other parts of your life too

If you cannot see how bonkers that statement is then you gotta take a class or something. Trying to cast judgment upon someone's entire life based on one attribute is puritanical and a bit totalitarian.

I don't know if anyone ever told you, but your singular idea of "responsible" is not universal. Different places on earth have different circumstances and therefore different laws/rules/practices around many things, pet ownership included. This is the internet. Sometimes called "The World Wide Web" (emphasis on World). There is a chance people in this thread are not in your local area. Don't try to foist your ideals onto others like some sort of colonist.

I haven't seen anyone advocating for bobbing tails, cropping ears, or breeding pug-like features. This collar "issue" y'all are getting so worked up on is incredibly minor. My unsolicited advice is for you to chill out and let other people decide for themselves what they think is best for their own dogs in their own homes.

P.S. If anyone sees an animal in actual duress (chained outside without food/water/shelter, physically abused, etc.) then please reach out to your local animal enforcement department (if available) and make a report. Arguing on the internet doesn't fix anything.