Tucker and Riley, the big dogs in my family, went AWOL this week – Absent Without Leash. You would think by now that they would know better. They're practically senior citizens. But off they went through a break in the fence, disappearing over the horizon as Isabelle and I watched. Of course, Izzy and I were way too loyal and smart to follow the big dogs. (Actually we just couldn't get our short legs over the fence, but oh how we tried!)

When my mom realized Tucker and Riley were gone, she was not amused. In fact, she looked a little scared and mad and kooky all at once. She went racing out the door, jumped in the car, and flew down our driveway yelling stuff out of the window. A loud and desperate jumble of "want a treat" and "time to eat" and "Tuuuuucccckkkerrr" and "Riiiiilllleeeyyy" and "please come" cut through the country air. (People are so weird sometimes.)

Somehow, her bizarre tactics worked and she rounded up both Very Bad Dogs and brought them home. They were in the proverbial doghouse, so Izzy and I were especially smug and obnoxious. My dad came home and fixed the fence, and all was normal again.

It was, however, a very big wake up call for my people. Anything can happen at any time, even to pet owners who are more than a little obsessed about safety. In this case, one loose fence board was all it took.

It got me thinking that I should devote a column to the new developments in pet location. I've already written about the importance of microchips and ID tags, so I won't re-hash that. I'm sure my readers would never let a four-legged friend run around without an ID – right?

Beyond simple ID tags, however, technology has paved the way for a whole new set of tools that pet parents can use to protect their animals:

1) QR tags: These ID tags are like traditional tags but have a QR code. This enables anyone who finds a pet to scan the ID with a smart phone and access a website with all of the pet's information, including medical history, phone, address, etc. This information can be updated and changed quickly and easily by the owner. For more information, visit pethub.com.

2) GPS tracking: Now pet parents can know exactly where their pet is at all times and even receive alerts via email and text if the animal wanders out of range. The GPS device is lightweight and attaches to the pet's existing collar. (On a personal note, I've seen this technology in action and it's amazing!) To learn more, visit tagg.com.

3) Social media: Always have a few current photos of your pet on hand so that you can quickly post a lost pet announcement and photo on Facebook and/or Twitter.

4) Pet location websites: There are many websites that help reunite pets and people. Check out thecenterforlostpets.com (sponsored by the Humane Society of the U.S.), fidofinder.com, lostpetusa.net, and missingpet.net. Many of these sites have sections both for lost and found animals, so if you happen to find a dog or cat, you can check the found section to see if the animal is registered.

So there you have it -- lots of new ways to make sure we stay safe. Just don't forget rule number one: Apparently, a loose fence board will not fix itself.

Albert, a Jack Russell Terrier, is Chairman of the Board of Wylie Wagg, a shop for dogs, cats, and their people, in Middleburg, Fairfax, Falls Church and Arlington.