Microchip, QR tag or GPS tracker: which does your dog need?
They do different jobs. A microchip is a legal requirement, a QR tag helps whoever finds your dog reach you quickly, and a GPS tracker shows you where your dog is. Here's how they compare.
At a glance
| PawTrak QR collar | Microchip | GPS tracker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can read it | Anyone with a smartphone camera | A vet, warden or rescue with a scanner | You, through the tracker's app |
| Finder can contact you | Yes, through a contact form | Only once someone scans it and contacts the database | No |
| Shows vet and medical details | Yes, the details you choose to share | No | No |
| Needs charging | Never | Never | Yes |
| Live tracking while lost | No. You get the finder's location if they share it | No | Yes, while battery and signal last |
Microchip: required by law
All dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by the time they're 8 weeks old. The chip must be fitted by a trained professional, and you're responsible for keeping the details up to date, for example when you move house. You can be fined up to £500 if your dog isn't microchipped when it should be.
A microchip can only be read with a scanner, so a member of the public who finds your dog can't use it. They'd need to take your dog to a vet, dog warden or rescue centre first.
QR collar tag: the finder can reach you
A QR tag works with any phone camera. Whoever finds your dog sees the details you've chosen to share, and on PawTrak they can message you and share their location straight away. It never needs charging.
It only works while your dog is wearing the collar, and it doesn't track your dog. You find out where they are when someone scans it and shares their location.
GPS tracker: live location
A GPS tracker shows you where your dog is through the tracker's app, which is useful for dogs that roam. It needs charging, and it only works while it has battery and signal. It doesn't help a stranger contact you.
They work best together
Your dog needs a microchip by law. A QR tag adds a fast way for the person who finds your dog to reach you, and a GPS tracker adds live location if you want it. By law your dog also needs your name and address on its collar or tag in public: see our dog ID tag law guide.
What a PawTrak collar adds
Every PawTrak collar comes with a free profile. A laser-etched steel QR plate links to it.
- Any phone camera reads it. No app needed.
- The finder can message you and share their location.
- Your vet, allergies and medical notes are there if your dog is hurt.
Shop collars · See what a finder sees