You’ve probably seen QR pet ID tags everywhere lately. Maybe you even saw the Ring Super Bowl ad showing how technology can help lost pets get home faster.

We love that awareness is growing. More visibility means more pets reunited with their families.

But there’s an important question most people never think to ask:

What happens to your personal information when someone scans your pet’s tag?

Because your dog’s collar should help your pet get home — not expose you.

Privacy Is Not a Feature. It’s the Foundation.

Back in 2010, when we put the very first QR code on a pet collar and filed the first patent for a QR pet ID system, people had one big concern:

“If someone scans this… can they see my phone number?”

Internally, we talked about what we literally called the “Creepy Guy at the Dog Park” scenario.

You know the one.

Someone bends down to admire your dog…
Sneaks a look at the tag…
And suddenly you’re getting a “hey --” text later.

Hard no.

For many women especially, this isn’t funny. It’s a real safety issue. So we built PetHub around one core principle:

You control your information. Always.

Privacy Isn’t Just About Annoying Texts — It’s About Safety

There’s another reason privacy matters that doesn’t get talked about enough.

Some pet parents have legitimate concerns about their pet being taken away from them — not because they’re irresponsible, but because of bias, assumptions, or circumstances.

There are documented cases and reported incidents where pets belonging to minority families, unhoused individuals, or people living in lower-income housing situations were not returned after being found, or were placed for adoption elsewhere because someone believed they could provide a “better” home.

That fear is real for some communities.

Privacy controls give pet parents agency. They allow people to decide when and how to share information about themselves and their living situation.

Reunification should never depend on someone else’s judgment about whether you “deserve” your pet.

What Shows If You Set Sections of Your Pet's Profile to Private?

If you mark everything on your pet’s PetHub profile as Private, here’s exactly what someone sees when they scan the tag:

• Your pet’s name
• Your pet’s photo
• PetHub’s 24/7 Found Pet Hotline number

That’s it.

No phone number.
No email.
No home address.
No secondary contacts.

Nothing else is visible unless you choose to make it public.

We don’t override your settings.
We don’t leak details to “speed things up.”
We don’t expose you because it’s convenient.

Your privacy settings mean something here.

How Your Pet Gets Home Without Sharing Your Info

If someone finds your pet and scans the tag:

1. They see the limited public info.
2. They can call our 24/7 hotline.
3. We contact you.
4. We send the emails.
5. We create anonymized phone bridges if needed.

We connect you without handing out your personal information.

Then you decide:

• Do you want to call them directly?
• Do you want to text?
• Do you want to meet somewhere public?
• Do you want to share your number at all?

We act as a privacy buffer.

Because getting your pet home should never put you at risk.

Prefer Direct Contact? That’s Your Choice.

Some pet parents want finders to contact them immediately.

That’s completely fine.

If you choose to list your phone number or email publicly, the finder can reach out directly.

But that decision belongs to you.

Not us.

We believe flexibility is good.
We just don’t believe exposure should be automatic.

Not All QR Pet Tags Handle Privacy the Same Way

Here’s something many pet parents don’t realize:

Not all QR pet ID tags are created equal.

Different companies handle privacy very differently.

Some systems are built around a simple model:

Finder scans → sees your contact info → contacts you directly.

That approach can work, but it often means your phone number or email must be visible for the system to function smoothly.

If you remove or hide that information, reunification may depend entirely on notifications, forms, or messages you might miss.

Many QR tags rely completely on direct owner contact and automated alerts.

24/7 human support is not universal in the category.

PetHub tags include the number to a live, human-operated Found Pet Hotline specifically so you can keep your information private and still get your pet back quickly.

Technology is powerful. Humans still matter.

Privacy Is About How the System Is Built

Real privacy protection isn’t just a policy. It’s architecture.

With PetHub, you can:

• Mark your profile fully private
• Show only your pet’s name and photo
• Use our hotline as the contact point
• Choose when and how to share your information
• Stay anonymous until you’re comfortable

Because your safety matters too.

Let’s Be Crystal Clear About Data

We do not sell your data. Period.

Not “anonymized.”
Not “aggregated.”
Not “shared with trusted partners.”
Not “used to enhance the ecosystem.”

Nope.

Over the years, companies have offered us very large checks for access to our pet parent database.

We said no.

Every time.

Because once your information becomes a product, you are no longer the customer.

You’re the inventory.

That’s not how we operate.

Marketing? Only If You Say Yes.

We sometimes tell pet parents about products or services that might genuinely help them and their furry family members.

But:

• You must opt in.
• Unsubscribe means unsubscribe.
• Do Not Market means we leave you alone.
• We honor suppression lists across email and SMS.

We don’t play games with consent.

You trusted us with your pet’s information. We take that seriously.

Why This Matters

Your dog’s tag should:

✔ Help them get home faster
✔ Reduce the chance they end up in a shelter
✔ Give you control
✔ Protect your safety

It should not:

✖ Turn you into a marketing target
✖ Expose your contact info without permission
✖ Remove your agency
✖ Blur the line between safety and sales

When we invented QR pet ID tags, we had a choice.

We could have normalized exposure.

Instead, we normalized control.

Because protecting pets is the mission.

Protecting you is part of it.

Protect the Pet. Protect the Parent. Protect the Data.

If you’re choosing a QR pet ID tag, ask one simple question:

Who controls the information — me or the company?

The right answer should always be:

You.

 

Looking for a new pet ID for your dog or cat? 

Because your dog deserves to get home safely…
and you deserve not to get weird texts from strangers. --

Check out PetHub Smart ID tags → [Shop Here]