Get your pet a tag it can actually be found by
First thing most people check on a lost dog or cat is the collar. Get that right and you're most of the way to a quick reunion. Pick an engraved tag, a QR tag, or run both, on a dog, a cat, or livestock. Every United Pet Club tag ties back to your pet's free registry profile.
Tags still do a job microchips can't
A microchip's permanent, but someone needs a scanner to get anything out of it, and that's not always to hand. A tag skips that step entirely. Anyone who picks up your dog or cat reads it straight off the collar, no gear required. Run both and you've covered each one's blind spot; our microchip registry ties a tag's code to the same profile as the chip.
Standard tags carry your pet's name and phone number, stamped straight into the metal. QR tags go a step further: scan the code and up comes your pet's profile, so whoever finds them sees your current number even if it's changed since the tag was made. Premium tags get a coat of epoxy over the print so the code and text don't fade. Still deciding? Check the buying guide for engraved versus QR, materials, and what's worth putting on the tag. Already holding one? Register your pet tag and link the code to your pet's free profile.
A tag for whatever you're keeping track of
Dog tags
Standard and premium tags built for a dog's collar. Simple job: get a lost dog back to its owner.
Cat tags
The same tags, sized down for a cat's collar, built to get a wandering cat home quickly.
Livestock tags
Tough, customisable tags for herds and flocks. Handy for mustering and stock counts, not just strays.
QR or code tags
Any phone camera scans the code and opens your pet's profile. Can't scan it? The code can be looked up by hand in the registry instead.
Epoxy-protected tags
A layer of epoxy sits over the print on premium tags, so the code and text hold up under the sun.
How a QR tag actually works
1
Personalise it
Pick a style, and once it turns up, link it to your pet's registry profile.
2
Clip it to the collar
It stays on full time, right alongside whatever other ID your pet wears.
3
Someone scans it
A finder points a phone camera at the tag and the link opens straight away. No app needed.
4
You find out
The scan pulls up your pet's profile with your contact details, and the registry can ping you to say your pet's been found.
Tags and chips cover each other's gaps
A tag can fall off or wear smooth after a few years. A chip needs a scanner, and a vet clinic or council rangers might be the only ones with one nearby. Run both together and each backs up the other.
No scanner on hand? The tag still gets read. No collar on your pet? The chip's still sitting there under the skin, permanent.
Quick answers on pet tags
What actually goes on the tag?
Most people stick with the pet's name, a phone number, and sometimes a backup number. If your pet's chipped, add the word "microchipped" too, so a finder knows to get it scanned.
Do you need an app for a QR tag?
Nope. Any phone camera reads the code and opens the link on its own. Nothing to download.
What's the actual difference between a tag and a microchip?
A tag sits out in the open where anyone can read it straight away. A chip's permanent but hidden under the skin, and it takes a scanner to read. Run both and your pet's got two separate ways home.
Are livestock tags the same as pet tags?
Not really. Livestock tags are built for herd and flock ID, more about stock counts and getting strays back than one animal's collar.
Does the tag still work without a QR code set up?
Yes. An engraved tag with your number does the job on its own, and the code can still be looked up by hand in the registry if scanning's not an option.
Link the tag to a free profile
Register your pet's tag alongside the microchip, so any scan lands back on you. Check how to register a pet tag, or get started now.