I returned from a 2-week work trip to find a blue tattoo on my dog’s stomach after her stay at a 24/7 daycare. Any idea what this means? I wanted to ask here before I contact them myself.

That’s what I typed out on a local pet owners’ Facebook group the night I got home. I posted it with a photo of my pit-lab mix, Zuni, lying on her side, showing a tiny, faded blue mark near her belly. It looked like a single-line shape—maybe a number, or a letter—but it wasn’t there when I dropped her off.

I stared at it for a solid five minutes before even taking the picture.

I’d been gone for a training conference in Vancouver, two straight weeks of meetings, late dinners, and jet lag. I missed Zuni like crazy, and I’d paid extra to board her at a supposedly “luxury” 24/7 dog daycare called WagMore Acres. They had cameras, daily report cards, and were always posting happy dog pics on Instagram.

The check-in process had been smooth, and the staff seemed friendly. Zuni hadn’t acted weird when I picked her up. A little tired, maybe, but she wagged her tail, leaned against my leg, and slept the whole ride home. It wasn’t until later that night, when I was rubbing her belly before bed, that I saw the blue mark.

Within an hour of posting, my phone started blowing up.

People commented things like “That’s probably a spay tattoo” and “All shelters do this now—don’t worry.” A few others said it’s usually just a line to show the dog’s been fixed, to prevent unnecessary surgeries. That would’ve made sense… except Zuni had already been spayed when I adopted her two years ago.

And she definitely didn’t have a tattoo back then.

I emailed the daycare that night and followed up with a call in the morning. A woman named Carly answered, cheerful at first—until I mentioned the tattoo.

She got quiet.

Then said, “Oh, hmm, let me check with our shift manager. Can I call you back?”

I said sure.