When somebody scans your pet's tag, a few things happen at once — the finder gets your pet's page, and you get a record of the scan. Here's exactly what goes on behind the scenes.
1. The finder's page opens
Your pet's profile opens in their browser with the cards and contact details you've allowed. They don't need the app or an account.
2. Their browser asks for their location
The page asks the finder to share their location and waits about five seconds for an answer.
- If they allow it, the coordinates are attached to the scan and turned into a street address (we use Google's address lookup first, and OpenStreetMap as a backup).
- If they decline, or their phone can't provide a location, the scan is simply recorded as Unknown location. The page still works normally — nothing is blocked.
Please note: Sharing a location is always the finder's choice. There is no way to require it.
3. The scan is saved to your Locations timeline
Every successful scan appears in your pet's Locations screen as a sighting card — "Sighted near {address}" — with a Scanner chip and a TAG or TRACKER label so you can tell which tag was used.
Important: A scan never updates your pet's last known position, map pin or zone status. Scans are sightings reported by a stranger's phone, so we keep them separate from your pet's official location.
4. You're alerted — but only if your pet is lost
This is the part people are most often surprised by: you only receive a scan alert while your pet is marked as missing in the app. Everyday scans are still recorded in your timeline, but they don't send a notification.
If your pet is marked as lost, you'll get:
| When | What the alert says |
|---|---|
| The finder shared a location | "{Pet}'s QR tag was scanned" — "Scanned at {location}. Tap to view details." |
| No location came through | "The scanner did not share a location. Tap to view details." |
| The same person scans a second time | "{Pet}'s QR tag was scanned again" — "A previous scanner scanned it at {location}." |
We recognise a repeat scanner by their browser, not by their identity — so we can tell you it's the same person who scanned before, but never who they are.
Tip: Previewing your own tag from the Pet Page screen or the lost-pet review step does not count as a scan. Nothing is recorded and no alert is sent.
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