A tag arrives quiet, registering is what wakes it up
A QR tag can only point a finder toward your pet's profile once its code has actually been linked to it, before that it's just a pattern stamped on metal. Registering with United Pet Club costs nothing, takes only a few minutes, and means the tag carries on doing its job long after a house move or a change of number.
Why a code tag needs this extra step at all
An engraved tag earns its keep the moment it's fastened to the collar, since whoever finds your pet simply reads the number off the metal, no fuss involved. A QR tag is a different animal entirely: its code is only a pointer, and until that pointer is tied to your pet's profile, scanning it opens nothing worth seeing. Registering is that missing link, nothing more complicated than that.
Do it once, though, and the tag never falls out of date again. Move house, change your number, add a second contact, whatever the case, you simply update the registry profile and every scan afterwards shows the new details. An engraved tag would send you back to the engraver; a registered tag just wants a two minute edit.
If your pet isn't on the registry yet, best register your pet first, since the tag joins that profile as part of the setup. Still weighing up which tag to buy? The buying guide sets engraved against QR, side by side.
Four steps, start to finish
1
Sign in to your free account
New to United Pet Club? Setting one up costs nothing and takes about a minute of your time.
2
Choose or add your pet
A tag links to one particular pet's profile, so have that pet registered before you go any further.
3
Type in the tag's code
The code sits printed on the tag itself. Enter it, and that ties the physical tag to the profile.
4
Try a scan yourself first
Hold your own phone up to the tag and check the right profile appears, with the right details. After that, anyone else's scan will land in the same place.
Answers to the questions people ask most
Does an engraved tag need registering too?
Not really, since its details live in the metal itself and it works without any setup at all. Still, it's worth registering your pet regardless, so a scan at the ISPCA or a microchip check finds its way back to you as well.
How do I go about registering a QR tag?
Sign in to your free account, pick out your pet, and type in the code printed on the tag. The whole business takes a few minutes, and the tag starts working the moment you're done.
Does it cost anything to register a tag?
Not a penny. Linking the tag is free, and so is keeping the profile behind it up to date, for as long as your pet is with you.
What does a finder actually see when they scan it?
Your pet's profile, showing whichever contact details you've chosen to share, nothing more. Depending on your plan, you might also get word the moment it's scanned.
Can a tag be moved on to a different pet later?
It can, yes. Relink the code from your account whenever you like, which comes in handy when a tag outlasts a collar or gets passed down to the next dog.
A few minutes now, a good deal of worry saved later
Register the tag, give it a test scan with your own phone, and it's ready for a day you hope never comes around.