What to put on a dog tag in the UK - and what to leave off

Most dog tags are engraved in a hurry at the counter of a pet shop, and most of them say the same thing: the dog's name in big letters, then a mobile number. It feels like the sensible choice. But a tag is a public notice that travels everywhere your dog goes, and it's worth thinking about who actually reads it.

What the law actually asks for

In Great Britain, the Control of Dogs Order 1992 says that a dog on a public road or in a public place must wear a collar with the name and address of its owner on it - either engraved on the collar itself or on a plate or badge attached to it. Some working dogs are exempt while they're working.

That's it. The Order doesn't ask for:

• your phone number
• your dog's name
• your email address

Many owners shorten the address to their house number and postcode. The Order just says "name and address" without defining a minimum, so if you want to be certain you're covered, put the full address on.

A microchip doesn't replace the tag

Microchipping has been compulsory for dogs in England since 2016, and for cats since June 2024. It's a great backstop, but it only helps once your pet reaches someone with a scanner - a vet, a rescue or a council dog warden. The person who actually finds your dog in a park can't read a chip, and the law still expects the collar tag.

What most tags over-share

Your phone number

A mobile number on a tag is readable by anyone who gets close enough to your dog: on walks, at the groomer, in the kennels, through the fence. Once a number is on something public, you don't control where it ends up. Lost-pet posts and posters are well known for attracting "I've found your dog, just send money for the petrol" scams, and a number on a tag hands scammers the same opening.

Your dog's name

A big name on the front of the tag is the most common design - and the one people most often regret. A stranger who calls your dog by name gets a friendlier reaction than one who doesn't. Your dog doesn't need its name on the tag to get home. The person who finds it needs a way to reach you.

Name, address and number together

Each detail on its own is mild. Put together on one disc, they tell anyone who reads it who you are, where you live, how to call you and when you're probably out walking the dog.

How to stay reachable without over-sharing

The goal of a tag is simple: someone finds your dog and needs to reach you fast. A phone number is one way to do that, but not the only one.

1. Keep the legal minimum on the collar. Your name and address, on the collar or a plate.
2. Leave the phone number and your dog's name off it.
3. Give finders a private way to reach you. A QR tag such as PetoID opens a page in the finder's phone browser - no app, no account - where they can see your dog's photo and any care notes you've added, and send you a message. You get an alert straight away and reply in the chat. They never see your number, email or address, and you never see theirs.

If you'd like the detail on what we store and for how long, it's all on our privacy page. In short: chat messages are deleted 24 hours after they're sent.

A quick checklist

• Name and address on the collar or a plate: yes, it's the law
• Microchip registered, with your details kept up to date: yes, it's the law
• Phone number engraved on the tag: optional, and best avoided
• Dog's name on the tag: optional, and best avoided
• A private way for finders to message you: recommended

This article is general information, not legal advice. If you're unsure whether your dog's tag meets the rules, check the Control of Dogs Order 1992 or ask your local council.