Tools:

• A collar for your pet

• A marker that will write on fabric or leather

• Amber essential oil

When:

• Any time

Purchase a new collar, made of leather or fabric, for your pet. On the inside of the collar, write: “[Pet's name] is safe and sound at all times.” Draw a pentagram — a five-pointed star with a circle around it — at the end of the statement. The pentagram is a symbol of protection. On the outside of the collar, write your name and phone number.

Put four drops of essential oil on the collar, one at each end, on both sides of the collar. Place the collar in the sun for one day to charge it. Then fasten the collar on your pet to keep him safe.

(To be extra safe, get tags made for your pet that include your name, address, phone number, and other pertinent information. Ask your vet about having a computer chip permanently implanted in your pet's skin that will identify him to city pounds, veterinarian's offices, and other agencies with scanners that can read such chips.)