How Ketchum Dog and Cat Tags Came to the Rescue in Old Manhattan

Dog and cat tags

You are likely familiar with Jack London, the author of the celebrated novels The Call of the Wild and White Fang. Now meet another Jack London, a Fox Terrier who lived the last and some of the best years of his life when he—accompanied by his feline sister Naoise—moved from upstate New York to Soho with his dad. When they weren’t jiving and jousting with their new urban friends and acquaintances in Washington Square Park, they were chasing grey squirrels and pigeons—off-leash—in Washington Square Park. A big no-no, but they did it anyway.

Regrettably, a few times the wild-at-heart Jack got separated from his dad—and with him his dutiful shadow, Naoise. Lost in unfamiliar territory, the adventurous old pup, trailed by his reluctant companion, miraculously made it past the Washington Arch on his aging bones, but never all the way home somewhere off Houston Street. Thankfully, good animal-loving Samaritans found them, read their dog and cat tags, and shepherded them home. No fewer than five times were Jack and Naoise reunited with their dad in this way, thanks to their Ketchum Dog Head and Cat Silhouette pet tags.

Continue reading “How Ketchum Dog and Cat Tags Came to the Rescue in Old Manhattan”

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Saved by the Bell: 2023 Rabies Tags

Dog with 2023 rabies tag

Aside from their endearing iconography (the silhouette of a bell), 2023 rabies tags are this year’s must-have fashion accessory for dogs (and cats!) for one primary reason: they keep everyone—pets and people—safe. And it’s no wonder why: they are a conspicuous visual cue that an animal has been inoculated against the deadly rabies virus, among the most monstrous known to humanity.

The sight of such a tag pendant on the collar of a wandering dog that has perhaps strayed too far beyond its owner’s watchful gaze is a welcome one, as well as being the only mode of communication our furry companions possess through which to inform us that they’re up to date on their vaccines (at least until someone finally teaches Border Collies how to talk).

Continue reading “Saved by the Bell: 2023 Rabies Tags”

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

The Proper Placement of Valve Tags

Pipe and valve with valve tag

Dating back to ancient Roman times and invented for the purpose of regulating water systems, the first valves were made of bronze. The word “valve” ultimately derives from the Latin verb volvere, “to turn or roll,” but later evolved into Latin valva, referring to the moving part of a door. In essence, a valve is a type of door. By definition, then, a valve is a device that controls or directs the flow of a substance (whether liquid, gas, or slurry) by opening, closing, or partly obstructing a passageway through which the substance is able to pass. The valve regulates the force of the flow of the substance through a pipe or other conduit.

What Is a Valve Tag?

In a modern industrial setting, a valve tag is a simple signaling device indicating at a glance the function or contents flowing through a given pipe or other conduit. If the substance flowing through the pipe is nothing more dangerous than plain, room-temperature water, the information conveyed by the tag is of minor importance. But if the pipe carries any substance that is extremely hot, cold, corrosive, or toxic, then the purpose of the valve tag can be characterized as mission-critical. Therefore, valve tags play an integral role in any safety system designed to reduce the risk to persons or property related to releases, spills, accidents, and injuries due to improper use of valves within a facility.

Continue reading “The Proper Placement of Valve Tags”

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Why Firefighter Tags Are Necessary

Firefighters with fire engine

“I can think of no more stirring symbol of man’s humanity to man than a fire engine.”

Kurt Vonnegut


Firefighters tend to be the first in and the last out of some of the most dire situations one can imagine. This simple fact, compounded with the intense chaos of a fire scene, makes incident command and firefighter safety an extraordinary challenge, and one that has led to the development of various accountability systems in recent years. Now, to a certain extent, there have been some understandable complaints among firefighters regarding “oversafety” procedures complicating an already complex and high-stress situation on the ground; but make no mistake, this could never be said to apply to firefighter tags.

Continue reading “Why Firefighter Tags Are Necessary”

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Firefighter Tags Save Lives

Firefighter at fire incident

“Every so often, in the midst of chaos, you come across an amazing, inexplicable instance of civic responsibility. Maybe the last shred of faith people have is in their firemen.”

― Kurt Vonnegut (Hocus Pocus)


At first glance they may appear to be little more than an inexpensive imprinted piece of plastic, yet firefighter accountability tags are so much more than that. Nor should they be considered a small but purposeless example of bureaucratic meddling. And never make the mistake of assuming that they are indistinguishable from mere name tags, the kind you would find at a garden club soirée or a corporate meet-and-greet. In reality, firefighter tags serve a very real, practical, and life-saving purpose.

Which is exactly the number-one priority of firefighters: the saving of lives (closely followed by getting the fire under control and preventing further damage to property). It is in the saving of firefighters’ lives that accountability tags find their highest purpose.

Continue reading “Firefighter Tags Save Lives”

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter