You might've heard of QR code dog tags out in the market - and to be fair, they're a major upgrade from regular old school dog ID tags! But are they a necessity or more a "nice to have" when it comes to a missing dog? Let's find out.
Like any loving dog parent, you want to keep your buddy safe – even if they’re an annoying little gremlin at times, constantly running at the sight of an open door or bolting off while out on walks! So you might’ve wondered whether a QR code dog tag can be an extra layer of protection to help someone identify your buddy if they get lost.
But is just this fancier ID tag a 100% surefire solution to finding your lost dog?
Does it actually guarantee whoever finds your dog will actually return them to you?
Where a regular ID tag can fail in a “missing dog” situation
In most US states and countries, a dog ID tag with your name and contact info is actually a legal requirement. (Though a few exceptions do exist, like with police dogs or ones working on farms.)
Why? Because as it turns out, a dog ID tag is an important emergency measure in case your buddy gets lost.
If someone comes across them, they’d normally first check your dog for an ID tag on their collar.
There, they might spot your contact details and let you know they’ve found your missing buddy.
In fact, some kind of identification on your dog can help you reunite with them that much faster.
⚠️ But that’s assuming your dog’s ID tag hasn’t:
Fallen off,
Gotten lost,
or smudged to the point of ineligibility.
A regular ID tag also limits how much of your contact info you can squeeze into the little space you might have.
Plus, in case you change your phone number or address, you’ll have to get your dog a brand new ID tag – every time.
Which is where it’s not a bad idea to equip your buddy with both a regular ID tag – but also one with a QR code.
What’s a QR code dog tag?
A QR code dog tag is a small, scannable tag you can attach to your dog’s collar. They don’t need any batteries or charging, meaning they’ll last you for as long as the QR code remains scannable.
In a nutshell, when someone finds your lost dog, they need to:
Scan the QR code on their tag using their smartphone
Head to the website your QR code leads to – where you’ve shared your contact info
Get in touch with you to let you know they’ve found your do
Some pet tags, like the ByteTag, even let rescuers share their GPS location with you once they’ve found your dog.
The perks of a QR code dog tag
Now we do want to clarify right off the bat: a QR code dog tag should never fully replace a regular ID tag. (We’ll cover why a little further below.)
But they do come with a ton of perks – including the ability to:
Store (and update) all your info in one place
Most QR code dog tag-style products include an online profile for pet parents. Here, you can include contact details like your:
Name
Phone or email
Mailing address
How a rescuer can identify you
And other important details pertaining to your dog, like health issues or allergies
All of which you can update on the go and ensure your buddy’s QR code dog tag stays fresh, contact details-wise. No need to buy them a new ID tag and get your details engraved every time you move or switch phones.
⚠️ Just remember: with great convenience comes great risk.
Aka, the risk that someone might misuse your private details.
“Over 30% of QR code scans are executed with harmful intentions, highlighting a significant security concern for pet owners.
These scans can lead to unauthorized access to personal data, underscoring the need for stringent security measures in QR code usage.”
Meaning anything you choose to share in the linked website…
…is now info that pretty much anyone who scans your dog’s QR code can now access.
(Including scammers, stalkers, fraudsters, and just about any weirdo out there.)
Include important details besides your contact info
A regular dog tag limits the amount of space you can squeeze in barely your dog’s name and your contact details into. But not so with a QR code. Rather, you can also include important details on the related website, like:
General details about your dog’s temperament – whether they’re spooked by loud noises or whether to keep them away from kids.
Any health issues your dog might have that require immediate vet attention – or just general ones, like food intolerances or allergies.
Other emergency contacts in case your number isn’t working
Any other vital info or special needs that might end up saving your buddy’s life
💡Most importantly: you can indicate on your online profile whether your dog is microchipped. Signaling to the rescuer that they should bring your dog to a vet or shelter to get scanned.
(Though to be fair, some regular ID tags have enough space to indicate this as well.)
💡A microchip is actually a step ahead of an ID tag – being permanently implanted into your dog’s skin.
But at the same time, they aren’t visible to the human eye. So a rescuer might not immediately think to take your buddy to a vet or a shelter to get them scanned right away.
Besides, with your microchip details turning up on the database where you’ve registered your contact details, you can…
Prove you’re actually your dog’s owner
With a registered QR code and online ID linked to it, you can assure a rescuer that you actually are the rightful owner of your dog. (And not, say, a stranger with a similar name or such.)
Besides, if your ID tag indicates that your dog is microchipped, your contact details will immediately turn up via the national microchip database you’ve registered them with.
Any rescuer worth their salt should be properly cautious around just handing over a dog to any stranger, right? We do live in a world with dognapping on the rise, after all.
⚠️ But with all that said – is just a QR code dog tag enough in areas you’re unlikely to find a smartphone user…or if your dog actually runs into a pet thief?
Why just a QR code dog tag isn’t a 100% safety guarantee
Now with all these perks, an ID tag of any kind – QR code or without – is an important emergency step. If someone can identify your dog, that’s massively reducing the chance your buddy might end up in a shelter, held for a specific period of time, and then either rehomed at best…or euthanized at worst.
But with all that said, just an ID tag alone isn’t a 100% guarantee you’ll be reunited with your dog.
Why? Because, for starters:
You’re relying entirely on strangers to keep your dog safe
Who firstly need to:
Have a smartphone on them
Know how to scan a QR code and find the website. (Did you know that less than 10% of smartphone users engage with QR codes on the regular?)2
Actually get in touch with you to inform you they’ve found your dog
Not demand an exorbitant finder’s fee
💡Which, if you’ve lost your dog in a city full of smartphone users, isn’t really such a bad deal. In fact, the sooner you take steps to broadcast your search, the quicker you might be reunited with your buddy.
⚠️ But in a “lost dog” situation, every minute and second counts.
And that’s assuming your buddy hasn’t gotten injured, poisoned, hit by a car, or trapped somewhere a rescuer can’t easily reach them.
👎 Besides, you might just not run into smartphone-carrying strangers everywhere you go.
Like, for example, if you’re out hiking, running, or camping out in the wilderness – or in a rural or less tech-savvy area.
And even if your dog does end up running into someone or the other…
A pet thief isn’t likely to return your dog to you
(And certainly not for free, if they do at all call you to negotiate!)
Maybe it’s because your dog is a rare breed, an expensive breed, a purebreed – or they just aren’t spayed or neutered yet. But for whatever reason, using only a QR code dog tag is leaving your dog’s safety in the hands of strangers. Strangers who might not have the best intentions.
In fact, some tags enable rescuers to send you their GPS location with just a click of a button…but that’s assuming they actually want to return your dog to you.
😔 Sadly, dog thieves don’t often have a lot to lose – with penalties being minimal at best for their crimes.
And unfortunately, no one’s immune to having their pet stolen from them. As recently as 2021, Lady Gaga’s two French bulldogs were stolen at gunpoint by two pet thieves in Los Angeles.
While she was able to find them safe and sound due to the tremendous publicity surrounding the case – her dogs’ handler was seriously injured.
Which, if you think about it, might make a rescuer reluctant to scan a QR code – even if your buddy’s giving them the biggest, roundest puppy eyes.
That’s why…
A QR code dog tag should never fully replace a regular one
From a legal standpoint, you could actually run into a world of trouble if you skip using a regular engravable ID tag with your name and contact info.
💡Which is why it’s wiser to include a QR code dog tag as an add-on to an old school one.
Why? Because even despite all the useful info you can store on a website accessible by a QR code:
The QR tag itself doesn’t 100% meet the legal requirements of a pet “identifier.”
So if your dog ends up rescued – but it turns out they weren’t wearing a proper ID tag, you could face a hefty fine at best or even jail time, in more extreme cases.
“While these tags are very useful and can store a lot of information…they shouldn’t replace the traditional engraved tags.
To comply with the law, QR code tags should be used as an additional feature, as it’s vital that your dog’s tag still displays your name and address alongside this.”
The solution: An identifier + GPS tracker for max safety
Now don’t be too disheartened – a QR code dog tag is still a nice add-on to your buddy’s collar. But you’re better off considering it as a “nice to have” over a requirement.
🐶 Because in a world where dedicated dog GPS trackers are out saving lives, you’re also better off taking an active role in your buddy’s safety and wellbeing. (Especially if they tend to run away or go missing more often than you’d like!)
And like we’ve covered, using an ID tag can be immensely helpful in reuniting with your dog…
⚠️ …but only if you’re 100% sure you’re surrounded by good, well-meaning strangers who have no reason to:
Keep your dog from you,
Or misuse your personal info.
💡So imagine the relief and peace of mind from knowing you could prevent your dog from ever getting lost in the first place – with just a glance at your phone?
🐶 It’s why dog parents around the world – just like you – are investing in GPS trackers for their escape artist buddies.
Ready to add an extra layer of security to your buddy’s collar?
A QR code dog tag can play an important role in identifying your buddy in case they go missing. In many cases, these tags can be an upgrade from a regular ID and include vital info that can keep your dog safe until you pick them up.
But besides privacy and security concerns around the use of QR codes, you might also risk legal trouble if you skip equipping your dog with a collar, ID tag, and your contact details where they’re easily visible.
You’ll be relying entirely on smartphone-carrying users around you to scan your dog’s QR code. Which might not be the case if you’re out hiking or camping in nature. Or just in a rural or less tech-savvy area.
QR code dog tags don’t offer any protection against dog theft. A determined thief could just remove your buddy’s collar and tag, which would make the QR code useless in these cases.
QR codes have gotten a bad rep due to cybersecurity issues over the years. So even if a rescuer comes across your dog, it’s no guarantee they’ll actually scan the code as a result.
💡Which is why, for max safety, you’re best off combining an ID tag with a GPS tracker that helps you follow their every step, as they make their every step.
And, in the case of your Tractive device, can actually alert you to a case of dognapping.
So why leave your buddy’s safety in the hands of strangers?
✅ With both an ID tag and GPS tracker strapped to your dog’s collar, you’ll have that extra peace of mind knowing you’ll never have to worry about losing your dog again.
Always know where your dog is
Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.
