Technology has made it easier to keep pets happy, safe, and home. Get your furry friend a paw-some new identification tag with a QR code!

Pet identification tags have come a LONG way in just the last few years.

Digital pet ID tags are much more advanced than traditional dog tags. Over the past few years, pet ID tags have undergone a massive transformation.

If you're still using the basic $7 aluminum dog tag with just your pet's name and phone number, your pets are missing out on paw-erful protection. 

Digital ID tags are not a futuristic idea. They're available now and they help get lost pets home faster than ever before.

So, what are “digital” pet ID tags, you may ask?

These are pet tags that use technologies like QR codes (did you know that QR stands for "Quick Response? We thought you'd like to know), NFC chips, and/or web addresses. The pet tag contains distinctive codes, either printed on it or embedded into it, which link to a detailed profile available online.

In the case of PetHub tags, a 24/7 Call Center phone number is also printed on every tag (so that even your grand-daddy who doesn’t know what that “squiggly black-and-white” QR code thingy is, can help your pup get back home).

My pet is microchipped. Why do I need a physical ID tag too?

We understand that some people are still a little skeptical about the need for a digital pet ID (or physical ID tags at all).

If you’re one of those people who are not convinced your pet NEEDS to wear a physical ID tag at all times, click on over to read our article Don’t Let Your Pet Run Around Naked! and you will be.

“Why do I need some fancy-schmancy tag when the old simple aluminum one with my cell phone number works just fine?”

That is a good question. And we have 6 questions to answer it:

Question 1 - 

Are you always, 100% of the time, with the phone that is on that tag?

...and do you always have the ringer on?

Question 2 -

Do you answer that phone 100% of the time, even if you don’t recognize the number calling you?

Question 3 -

Do you ever go on vacation?

What if you leave the country and the cell number on that tag won’t work because your cell phone doesn’t work in that country without you paying a gazillion dollars for international roaming charges?

Question 4 -

Are you ever at work or in a meeting?

What about watching a movie at the theater, being a part of an impromptu beach volleyball game, or spending time on a rollercoaster at Disney World?

Sometimes we have to turn our phones off and can't answer calls. Having more than one number connected to your pet's tag will help your furry friend get home quickly if something happens.

Question 5 - 

Does your cell phone battery ever die on you?

Question 6 - 

Have you ever been on an airplane?

You see, even if your cellphone number is on that tag, there are MANY reasons you might not be there to answer it when someone who’s found your wayward cat is trying to call you.

The #1 Reason digital pet tags are the way to go

… plus we’ll throw in 4 more just for grins:

Reason # 1: Multiple emergency contacts

You can put a lot of different contacts on your pet's online profile with PetHub. This could be your own phone number, work extension, family members, neighbors, people who take care of your pet like the pet sitter or dog walker, and even your in-laws. You can make your 'safety circle' as big as you want, with all of the contact details stored in one easy-to-access profile.

Reason 2: Update anytime, anywhere

Let’s say you go on vacation and leave Fergus and Muffin with a pet sitter. No need to get new ID tags – just log into your PetHub account and make the pet sitter’s contact information primary.

Moving? Getting a new phone number?

You don't have to replace the tag for your pet. You can quickly and easily update the ID with just a few keyboard strokes and mouse clicks.

Reason 3: Critical medical data

You can list any major medical issues, such as diabetes, epilepsy, allergies or vital medication, on your pet's online profile that is linked to their PetHub ID tag. This information can be crucial in a crisis when your pet is away from you and could make all the difference between life and death.

Reason 4: All information is in one place and ready to go

The moments right after you realize your cat squeezed through the broken window screen or discover that the back gate is off the latch and the pup is AWOL (Absent Without a Leash) are panic-filled and harried. 

Thinking through all the things you need to do (creating a pet poster, calling shelters, etc.) is difficult at best.

In this situation, having all of your pet’s critical data (including photographs) already in one place, like on a PetHub.com profile, can be hugely beneficial…it’s all there and ready to use with instantly generated pet posters, a shelter alert system and more.

Reason 5: Powerful protection linked to one single tag

PetHub’s system is not just a tag attached to your dog's collar. It is a hub of available protective services:

• A free online profile that holds all your pet’s identification data – you can link rabies ID, municipal license number and even a microchip number can be listed on the profile
• Free 24/7 Lost & Found Pet Hotline – a call center where real-live, super compassionate and helpful human beings are available around the clock to answer the toll-free number printed on the PetHub tag and help your pet get home
• Community Alert System – over 13K shelters and rescues, as well as veterinarians, pet sitters, and other pet care professionals can be sent a virtual lost pet poster when your pet is loose (not all at the same time, mind you – just those in a 50-mile radius of your address)
• Instant notifications with GPS mapping* – when your pet is found, you know when and where they are and can get to them quicker than ever

It’s really a no-brainer when you look at all the benefits of moving up to a digital ID for your four-legged friend.

Want proof that PetHub tags get pets home faster than ever?

Okay – 96% PetHub recovered pets are home in less than 24 hours. 

How many stories do you hear about a dog or cat making it home YEARS after being lost? In fact, over 35% of PetHub recovered pets are home in 1 – 4 hours – many times before the pet owner even knew they were on the run!  

Oh, and if you are curious about the cost?

You can get a PetHub digital ID with our free toll-free call center number for as little as $14, and our optional premium services are just a few dollars a month. It's su-paw affordable, so why not ditch the laser engraving and make the switch to digital for your dog's tag?

Check out some of the stylish dogs and cats who have joined the PetHub Pack!

Have questions or feedback for us? Visit https://www.pethub.com/ContactUs

*Services such as GPS text alerts are part of PetHub's premium services that are available for a low monthly or yearly fee. 

Originally Posted: April 2016

Updated: July 2023