Microchip, collar tag, AirTag or QR tag: what works for your cat or dog?
Published 2026-11-14·4 min read·by AYA
There are lots of ways to make it easier for your cat or dog to get home. But they work very differently, and some don't solve the problem you think they do. Here's an honest run-through.
What does UK law require?
Dogs: All dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered on a database by the time they are 8 weeks old (GOV.UK). On top of that, the Control of Dogs Order 1992 requires a dog on a road or in a public place to wear a collar with the name and address of the owner on it or on a tag.
Cats: In England, cats must be microchipped and registered by the time they are 20 weeks old. The rule has applied since 10 June 2024, it covers indoor cats as well, and owners can be fined up to £500 if they don't comply (GOV.UK). In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, microchipping cats is optional.
The four options
Microchip
A tiny chip under the skin with a number that's registered on a microchip database.
- Pros: It can't fall off, it lasts a lifetime, and it's what councils, vets and rescue centres look for. For dogs across the UK, and for cats in England, it's a legal requirement.
- Cons: It can only be read with a scanner, so whoever finds your pet first has to get to a vet or rescue centre. And a chip only works if your contact details on the database are up to date.
Collar with a name tag
The classic engraved tag with a name and phone number or address.
- Pros: Visible, cheap and understood by everyone. For dogs in public, a tag or collar with the owner's name and address is a legal requirement.
- Cons: Your name, address and number are visible to anyone. The text is in one language. And a collar can be lost.
AirTag or GPS tracker
A small device on the collar that shows where your pet is.
- Pros: You can see a location while your pet is missing.
- Cons: An AirTag is designed to find things and only shows a location when it's near other people's Apple devices. A proper GPS tracker needs charging regularly and often requires a subscription. Both have a battery and add weight, which can be a lot for a small cat. And neither gives the person who finds your pet a way to contact you.
QR tag
A tag on the collar with a QR code that anyone can scan with their phone.
- Pros: Whoever finds your pet can contact you straight away, without a scanner and without going to a vet. No battery, no charging.
- Cons: It sits on the collar and can be lost, just like a name tag. It doesn't show where your pet is until someone scans it.
The best option: combine them
No single option covers everything. The best approach is to combine:
- A microchip with up-to-date registration, which is always there and is what the authorities use.
- A visible tag on the collar, so whoever finds your pet can reach you straight away.
- A quick-release collar for cats, so it opens if your cat gets caught. Both Blue Cross and RSPCA recommend one.
How AYA PetBand is built
AYA PetBand is a QR tag designed to solve exactly the limitations of an ordinary name tag:
- Your number isn't on the tag. The finder calls, video calls or messages you through the scan, and neither of you sees the other's number.
- The page is shown in the finder's own language. That matters if a tourist or a neighbour who doesn't speak English finds your pet.
- Report missing with a message for the finder and a reward, and get notified at every scan.
- For cats: "I saw it roaming" lets a neighbour tell you with one tap that your cat has been seen and is healthy and well.
- Supplementary information such as microchip number, diet and special needs, only if you choose to show it.
- Engraved name on the front, in brass or steel.
- No GPS, no battery, no charging. A location is only shared if the finder chooses to share it.
For dogs, a PetBand does not replace the collar tag with the owner's name and address required by the Control of Dogs Order 1992, so use it alongside that tag.