Basenji Ink

I always felt that I wanted a tattoo, but just never knew what to get. I didn’t want to get something of no significance, just to have gotten a tattoo. Then a little over a year ago, I heard about a fundraiser in Baltimore that peaked my interest. If you went to the Baltimore Tattoo Museum and got a mini paw print tattoo, the money raised went to support Baltimore Humane Society. I read the article right after the event took place.


Well, that sparked an idea for me. I could get a copy of my dog’s actual paw print! Finally, I had a tattoo idea that was meaningful. My special first Basenji (who is now 5) who means the world to me, his name is Blink. While he is still very young, there will be a day that he will pass. With this tattoo, Blink will always be with me. I sat on the idea for over a year and just recently had it done.

I’m sure I’ll get questions. In order to get the copy, I purchased child-safe finger paint. I took Blink into the bathroom for an easy clean up spot! Then I used thick paper to pour a pile of the paint. Then I dipped the paw in and made several prints on that same thick paper. I brought the best copy to the tattoo artist and he replicated it. See the photo below, it’s on my left ankle.

Not only will Blink always have a place in my heart, but a place on my foot as well!

-Jennifer Davis

Tattoo!

When I was 40 years old I got my first ever basenji after a lifetime of having larger working breeds, and I was smitten from day 1. Well, he is 11 years old now and has some mild cataracts and is starting to act like a senior with a little shakiness here and there, so I had a senior blood panel run on him and extra thyroid and liver tests. They all came back good, yay!! Hopefully lots of years left together.


To celebrate, I got his pawprint on paper, went off to the tattoo shop, and got the first tattoo of my life. In each of his toe pads I had his name spelled out: Q, U, A, N in the top 4 toes and T,U,M in the bottom big pad, but in a very subtle way (and kind of tribal). His name is there, you just have to look for it. So there are a lot of *firsts* with basenjis, haha. I absolutely love it, it represents all of my dogs that I have loved, and it is my special boy's pawprint.


~robandkel@efirehose.net

Do You Tattoo?

Tattoos seem to be a divisive topic in general among those love them and those who would never get one themselves. In the dog world, I have only ever met one dog with a tattoo. In the human world, I have met many people with tattoos. Some of the most interesting tattoos to me are ones commemorating beloved pets.

First, the humans:

For as many animal tattoos as I've seen, I am always excited when I see one commemorating a basenji. I have no tattoos myself and have spent my life saying "there is nothing I could ever want on my body permanently." However, the more and more time I spend with my pets, the more I can see why people decide to add a little art to their skin to permanently remind them of the pets they've loved - or more importantly, who've loved them, unconditinally. I'm sure many of you have seen this video, but it definitely speaks to how important our pets are to us. . .

Now, for the dogs:

Nearly every time I meet someone new when I’m with my Kirby boy, I hear “is that a tattoo?” in an incredulous tone. The answer is of course, yes – my basenji has a tattoo. I am always tempted to say it’s a biker tattoo, or a heart with mom in it (which I’m sure is exactly what he’d get if he had any say in the matter!), or even a fun tattoo that said “I love bitches”. . .but alas, it is actually a tattoo of his AKC registration number. Kirby came to me as a nearly 6 month old pup who had just been neutered – and at the same time, while still under anesthesia, he was tattooed by the vet.

Similar to a micro chip, it’s another way to identify your animal if it were ever lost. The hope is that someone who finds the lost pet would know to look up ownership or call AKC for contact information on the dog. At the time, I had no idea that dogs were ever tattooed – and I’m not sure I would have ever thought to do it. However, I think it’s a good idea (for a dog who will be under anesthesia anyway – not as a separate event) and Kirby never seemed to notice it.

I think someday I will get a tattoo for my beloved pets – perhaps a simple pawprint or an initial with a date. Because I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to needles, I am not sure how long it will take – but if Kirby was brave enough to have one as a puppy, then I hope my adult self can endure the brief pain for a lasting memory of my “kid”