The collar tag is usually the first thing anyone checks
If your dog or cat wanders off, it's often the tag on the collar that gets checked first, before anything else. You might like an engraved tag, a QR tag, or perhaps both, whether you've got a dog, a cat, or a few sheep to keep track of. Every United Pet Club tag links through to your pet's free registry profile, so there's always somewhere for that information to live.
Why a tag is still worth having
A microchip is permanent, which is reassuring, but it does need a scanner before it tells anyone anything. A tag works a little differently: whoever finds your pet can read it straight away, no scanner needed at all. Having both tends to work best, since each one covers a gap the other leaves, and our microchip registry quietly links a tag's code to the very same profile as the chip.
A standard tag has your pet's name and your phone number engraved on it. A QR tag adds a scannable code that opens your pet's profile online, which is handy if your number's changed since the tag was made, because the finder still sees your current details. Premium tags come with a layer of epoxy over the print, so the code and text hold up better over time. Not sure what suits your pet? Have a look at the buying guide, which covers engraved versus QR, the materials, and what's worth putting on the tag. Already got a tag sitting in a drawer? Register your pet tag and link its code to your pet's profile.
Something for every animal in the household
Dog tags
Standard or premium, sized for a dog's collar, and there to help a wandering dog find its way back.
Cat tags
The same options, just a little smaller, made to help a cat that's slipped out the door get home again.
Livestock tags
Sturdy, customisable tags for herds and flocks, useful for keeping track of stock as well as bringing strays back.
QR or code tags
A scannable code that opens your pet's profile from almost any phone. If scanning doesn't work, the code can still be looked up by hand in the registry.
Epoxy-protected tags
Premium tags have a layer of epoxy over the print, which helps the code and text last a good while longer.
How a QR tag tends to work
1
Personalise it
Choose a style you like, and once it arrives, link it to your pet's profile in the registry.
2
Pop it on the collar
From there it stays on full time, alongside anything else your pet wears.
3
Someone gives it a scan
Whoever finds your pet points a phone camera at the tag, and the link opens straight away, no app required.
4
You'll hear about it
The scan brings up your pet's profile with your contact details, and the registry may let you know your pet's been found.
A tag and a microchip make a good pair
A tag can come loose or wear thin after a while. A chip is permanent, but it does need a scanner, and one isn't always close by, an SPCA branch or a vet clinic usually has one, though. Together, each covers what the other might miss.
Even without a scanner nearby, the tag can still be read. And if the collar comes off, the chip is still there under the skin, doing its job.
A few common questions about pet tags
What's worth putting on the tag?
Most people go with the pet's name and a phone number, sometimes a second number as well. If your pet has a microchip, adding the word "microchipped" is a nice touch, as it lets a finder know to get it scanned too.
Do QR tags need an app to work?
Not at all. Most phone cameras will scan the code and open the link without any app needed.
How is a tag different from a microchip, really?
A tag sits on the outside where anyone can read it straight away. A microchip is permanent but sits under the skin, so it needs a scanner. Having both gives your pet two separate ways of being found.
Are livestock tags much different to pet tags?
They are, a little. Livestock tags are made more with herd and flock identification in mind, useful for stock records as well as recovering strays.
Will the tag still work without a QR code set up?
Yes, quite happily. An engraved tag with a phone number does its job on its own, and the code can also be looked up by hand in the registry if scanning isn't possible.
Link your pet's tag to a free profile
It's worth registering the tag and the microchip together, so any scan leads back to you. Take a look at how to register a pet tag, or get started now.