These Pet ID Cards From China Are Going Viral, but There Is a Catch
Pet ID cards that look strikingly similar to official government IDs have been popping up all over social media. The posts show cats and dogs with plastic cards that include photos, names, and ID numbers, often described as part of animal welfare programs in China or Hong Kong. The idea sounds believable enough, and that helped the images rack up hundreds of thousands of likes and shares.
But the story behind these cards is far less official than the posts suggest. Fact-checkers later traced the images’ origins, and the explanation does not match the claims circulating online. What looks like a government initiative turns out to be something else entirely.
What The Cards Actually Are
@thisismoney In Hong Kong, pets can now get their own ID cards- much like humans – allowing owners to register details such as an official photo, name, birthday, and even emergency contact information. While the scheme isn’t mandatory, it’s quickly growing in popularity, as the IDs aim to encourage responsible pet ownership and make it easier to reunite lost pets with their owners during emergencies 🪪 #ThisIsMoney #Money #News #Pets #Animals ♬ original sound – .·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.
The cards themselves are real products but not official documents. They are novelty items produced by vendors operating in China and Hong Kong. Some sellers operate on major e-commerce platforms, while others sell through nonprofit online shops affiliated with animal organizations. Prices usually range from $9 to $12 when converted to United States currency.
Buyers submit a pet photo, name, birthdate, and optional contact details, and sellers print the information onto a plastic card designed to resemble a government ID. Some even offer keyrings or alternate card styles that mimic credit cards. But none of these cards links to a government database, and none carry legal weight. But apparently, this distinction has gotten lost online!
The Real Pet Identification System People Missed
Image via Getty Images/fizkes
The viral posts created a bigger misconception by skipping over how pet identification actually works in parts of China and Hong Kong. Identification relies on microchipping. In Hong Kong, dogs over five months old must be microchipped and licensed through the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. The microchip carries a unique code tied to the owner’s contact information, and is valid for the dog’s lifetime.
Owners renew licenses every three years at a cost of about $10, and fines for expired licenses can reach roughly $1,275. As of 2024, about 158,000 dogs in Hong Kong were licensed and microchipped. Even with that system in place, there are still enforcement gaps.
An Ombudsman report found that 68 percent of abandoned dogs had expired licenses or none at all. Among stray dogs without microchips, only about 10 percent were returned to their owners. Cats face fewer requirements, as mandatory microchipping applies mainly to cats sold through licensed traders, a rule introduced in 2024, while privately owned cats do not require a license.
What Everyone Missed
The catch is not that the cards exist; it is that they do not do what viral captions claim they do. They do not replace licensing, connect to government systems, or guarantee reunification or legal protection. They are souvenirs. Fun ones, even thoughtful ones, but still decorative.
The real work of pet identification happens through microchips, renewals, and enforcement. That system may lack charm, yet it has the authority people assumed the cards had.