'Aadhaar for dogs’: Mumbai man creates unique collar with QR code to track strays

The QR Code can be attached to the dog's collar. Anyone can scan the code to know its name and contact information.

There are people who go out of their way to take care of the safety of stray dogs. Adding to the applaudable list of doing their bit for strays, 24-year-old Akshay Ridlan has come up with a solution to keep track of the dogs in his area. He claims to have developed a unique collar with a QR code for the strays which, upon scanning, will display information about the particular dog wearing it. The tag costs ₹100 and an extra ₹50 is charged for transportation.

Dogs wearing the QR code collars created by Mumbai-based engineer Akshay Ridlan. (Akshay Ridlan)

In conversation with Hindustan Times, Ridlan, a Mumbai-based engineer who is also a dog rescuer, opened up about how losing his beloved Kaalu (stray from his area) led him to create this unique 'Aadhaar' for dogs. Ridlan narrates that in May 2020, there was a wedding in the nearby area wherein loud fireworks were a part of the procession. Loud booms are known to be seriously distressing for dogs. This resulted in Kaalu leaving the area and never returning.

"Like any dog lover," Ridlan continued, "I tried looking for him and reached out to communities via social media but all in vain. Kaalu was never found again." "This is what pushed me to find a solution, so no dog ever loses its path again and every dog caretaker can ensure the safe return of their furries. Being a technology student, I wanted to solve this small problem. I have seen people losing their pets, abandoning their pets. What I am trying to do is create an 'Aadhaar' card for dogs," he added. This QR code in the collar Ridlan created displays information about a particular dog, including name, medical history, and contact details of their caretakers.

Take a look at a video of Mumbai-based Akshay Ridlan with dogs wearing his QR-based collars:

Ridlan expresses his desire to share this data with state governments, which can help municipalities and respective authorities to track the vaccination and sterilisation status of strays in their areas.

With initial plans to develop microchips for dogs, Ridlan explained why he later dropped the idea considering the costs involved and affordability. "Microchips are very expensive. Besides, we need special scanners for microchips. Whereas, QR scanners are everywhere," he expressed. The tags can be used not just on dogs, but also on other animals including cows, goats, and more. "This innovation will solve 4 major problems: Government data, relocation of animals, tracking medical information, and tracing the lost dogs," he added.

How will it help trace a dog if no one scans the tag?

Ridlan adds that while the tags are not GPS-based yet, he still wants caretakers to be able to track the real-time location of their furries. "GPS technology further adds costs and reduces affordability. Many people in India are struggling to make ends meet and adding another feature that costs ₹1,000-2,000 will only mean people won't buy it. This mechanism is based on certain assumptions. Today in every area, chances of finding a dog lover are high. And we assume someone will stop by and notice the tag."

Nevertheless, Ridlan plans to introduce this feature but claims to have struggles looking for potential investors. "I definitely want to add GPS live tracking but I want someone to enhance this product and sponsor. I currently have no help."

Talking about database, Ridlan adds that he uses GCP (Google Cloud Platform) to store all information and pays for the service every month. "My team verifies all data before we proceed to generate the QR codes to ensure reliability," he said. He claims to have dispatched over 500 tags pan-India so far.