Pet Tags for Tracking your Dog or Cat
Why your dog's tag matters more than you think
Most people think of pet tags as a formality. A little metal disc you grab from a machine at the pet shop and forget about. But if your dog ever slips out of an open gate or bolts after something in the park, that tag is the single fastest way for a stranger to get them back to you.
Microchips are brilliant as a backup, but they're invisible. Nobody walking their own dog is going to pull out a microchip scanner. They're going to flip the collar over and look for a phone number. That's what a tag is for. It turns a stranger into someone who can help, right there on the spot.
The question isn't really whether your dog needs a tag. It's which kind of tag is actually worth having.
The old-school engraved tag
You know the one. Brass or stainless steel, stamped or laser-engraved with a name and phone number. They're cheap, they're everywhere, and they work. To a point.
The problem is they're frozen in time. Move house, change your number, get a new vet, and you need a whole new tag. And there's only so much you can fit on a disc the size of a 10p coin. Most people end up with just a name and one number, which isn't a lot to go on if someone finds your dog at 10pm and you don't pick up.
They also wear down. Give it six months of clinking against a lead clip and half the engraving is barely readable.
For what they cost, engraved tags are fine as a starting point. But they haven't really changed in decades, and dog ownership has.
Collar nameplates
Some collars come with a built-in nameplate. Your dog's name and number stitched or riveted directly onto the collar. Looks cleaner, no jingling, and nothing dangling for your dog to catch on a branch.
The trade-off is the same as engraved tags: once it's printed, it's done. Change any detail and you're buying a new collar, not just a new tag. Fine if you're settled. Annoying if anything in your life changes, which for most of us, it does.
QR and digital pet tags
This is where things get genuinely useful.
A digital tag carries a QR code. When someone finds your dog and scans it with their phone (no app needed, just a camera), they land on a live profile. Not a static phone number scratched into metal, but a full page you control: multiple contact numbers, emergency contacts, vet details, medical notes, photos, behavioural info. Whatever you need on there.
The big shift is that you can update it any time. New number? Edit the profile. Dog starts a new medication? Add it. You're on holiday and your dog-sitter is in charge? Swap the primary contact. The tag itself never changes, but the information behind it always stays current.
For anyone who's ever had to chuck a tag because the phone number was wrong, this is a genuinely better way to do it.
What about GPS trackers?
GPS collars are popular, and they have their place, but they come with baggage. They need charging every few days, they're bulky (especially on smaller dogs), and most of them come with a monthly subscription on top of the hardware cost.
The other thing people don't always think about: a GPS tracker shows you where your dog is, but it doesn't help the person who actually finds them. If your dog is sitting on someone's doorstep, that person still needs a way to reach you. A blinking dot on your phone doesn't solve that.
That's not to say GPS is useless. For working dogs covering miles of open ground, it makes sense. But for most pet owners, the scenario that actually plays out is: dog gets out, kind stranger finds them, stranger needs your number. A smart tag handles that entire chain without batteries, subscriptions, or a physics degree.
Supernormal PawTag Smart QR Pet Tag
Free for a limited time only. Our tag gives you real peace of mind by sending your pet's exact location to you, and alerts all users, vets, and kennels in a 5-mile radius when marked as lost.
So what should actually go on your dog's tag?
Keep it simple. At minimum:
Your phone number. That's the non-negotiable.
Your dog's name is helpful because it lets the finder calm them down and build trust. But it's optional, and some people prefer to leave it off for privacy reasons.
If you're using a digital tag, you don't need to worry about what fits on a tiny metal surface. Put your phone number on the QR profile, add a backup contact, throw in your vet's details, note any medical needs. The whole point is that you're not limited to what you can stamp onto a coin.
Do you still need a microchip?
Yes. Absolutely. Tags and microchips do different jobs.
A tag is your first line. It's visible, instant, and anyone can read it. A microchip is your safety net for worst-case scenarios: collar comes off, tag gets lost, dog ends up at a shelter. The shelter scans, finds the chip, finds you.
Use both. They're not competing technologies. They're layers, and each one covers the gap the other leaves.
How Supernormal's tag works differently
We took the QR tag concept and built a proper system around it.
When someone scans your dog's PawTag, three things happen at once: you get an instant alert with the GPS location of the scan, the finder gets your dog's full profile so they can reach you immediately, and if you've activated lost mode, nearby pet owners, vets, and kennels within a five-mile radius get notified too.
There's no battery in the tag. Nothing to charge, nothing to break, nothing that stops working because you forgot to plug it in on Tuesday night. It uses NFC and QR, the same passive tech in contactless bank cards, so it's always on.
The tag itself is lightweight, waterproof, and silent. No clinking against the food bowl at 6am. It fits any collar and works for dogs and cats of any size.
| GPS collar | Supernormal PawTag | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | Needs charging every 2 to 10 days | None. Always on. |
| Monthly cost | £5 to £15/month typical | From £2.39/month |
| Weight | Bulky, awkward on small dogs | Slim and light |
| Finder can contact you? | No | Yes, instant profile |
| Works if battery dies? | No | Always works |
Who it's built for
City dog owners. Your dog is far more likely to be found by a neighbour than tracked by satellite. Making it easy for that person to contact you is the fastest route home.
Owners of escape artists. If your dog has form for slipping leads or digging under fences, you need ID that doesn't depend on hardware staying charged.
Hikers and outdoor dogs. Waterproof, rugged, no moving parts. It survives everything your dog does.
Anyone tired of GPS subscriptions. One tag, lifetime use, no monthly box arriving with a battery that needs swapping.
Making the most of your tag
A smart tag is only as good as the profile behind it. A few things worth doing:
Keep your details current. If you move or change your number, update the profile. Unlike an engraved tag, it takes about ten seconds. You don't need to order anything new.
Add more than one contact. If you're unreachable, a backup contact means someone else can step in. Your partner, a neighbour, your dog walker. Anyone who'd drop what they're doing.
Tell your neighbours. If the people on your street know your dog wears a smart tag, they'll know what to do if they spot them wandering. Scan first, panic later.
Still train recall. Technology is your safety net. Training is your first defence. Both matter.
Get your dog tagged properly
Join over 120,000 pet owners who've made the switch to smarter identification. The PawTag is free for a limited time. You just cover shipping.