How do QR dog tags work?
A QR dog tag is a code on your dog's collar that any phone camera can read. Scanning it opens an online profile, so whoever finds your dog can see who they belong to and get in touch. Here's how it works, using PawTrak as the example.
What happens when someone scans it
They point their phone camera at the code
No app is needed. Phone cameras can read QR codes.
The dog's profile opens
It's a web page, so the finder needs a phone with an internet connection.
They see what you've chosen to share
Such as your dog's name and photo, notes for the finder, and vet and medical details.
They get in touch
On PawTrak the finder can message you through the profile and share their location, and you get an email alert.
How it differs from an engraved tag
An engraved tag holds a few lines and never changes. A QR profile can hold much more, such as vet details, allergies and notes like "nervous around other dogs", and you can update it online whenever you like without buying a new tag.
On PawTrak you choose which contact details finders see. By law your dog still needs your name and address on its collar or tag in public, so keep an engraved tag too: see our dog ID tag law guide.
What a QR tag can't do
- It doesn't track your dog. For live location you'd need a GPS tracker
- It only works while your dog is wearing the collar
- It doesn't replace your dog's microchip, which is a legal requirement
Does it need charging or a subscription?
A QR plate has no battery, so it never needs charging. Every PawTrak collar comes with a free Basic profile, free for as long as PawTrak operates. Premium is optional and adds things like instant scan alerts. Compare the options in our microchip vs QR tag vs GPS guide.
The PawTrak QR collar
Each steel QR plate is laser-etched individually when you order, and dispatched within 3 days.
- Any phone camera reads it. No app needed.
- The finder can message you and share their location.
- Free profile with every collar. Lightweight £19.99 or Heavy-Duty £24.99, plus £2.99 UK postage.
Shop collars · See what a finder sees