Best options to track your pets

A dog in California was tracked down with an Apple Air Tag after getting swept away by floodwaters for nearly a mile while on a walk with his owner.

The dog, Seamus, ended up about 10 feet down in a drain pipe after he was separated from his owner.

Although it worked in this particular case, Apple does not recommend putting Air Tags on pets. WINK News looked into what the explanation for this is, and other GPS options pet owners could use.

WINK News found options like the Fi Collar, Whistle Go, and the Jiobit collar are popular GPS tracking devices used for pets. With a subscription, these GPS trackers will pinpoint the exact location of your dog and send it directly to your phone.

WINK News spoke with Darlene, who uses the Fi Collar, and talked about the benefits it gives pet owners.

“It tells you how many steps she does in a day,” Darlene said. “So that I can see when we go for long walks.”

“It’s really great and live. It just shows you where she’s at when she’s on a walk,” Darlene said.

Subscriptions cost about $3 or $4 a week to use the GPS features.

“Knowing my dog and how rambunctious she is, she has lost actually her name tags, and she lost her rabies tag off of her collar ones. And she’s even managed to unhook herself from a dog leash. So I really didn’t trust the tag component,” Darlene said.

In three years with Otis, Kenneth Tompkins had one close call that changed his perspective forever.

“He has been with me for… gonna be three years. He’s my baby,” Tompkins said.

“I almost lost him a couple of years ago to a gator,” Tompkins said.

Tompkins got Otis microchipped, so if he runs away, he can be identified and returned to his owner.

“I’ve been watching TikTok, and I’ve been seeing people who have air tags on their dogs, and they said it comes in handy,” Tompkins said.

Apple explains that if our dog has an Air Tag on them that’s out of range or without cell service, then it won’t help you find your lost pet.

Although it’s the cheapest tracking method, Don Grey told WINK News using your darn eyes works.

“I never let her out of my sight,” Gray said.

Even so, while Gray keeps his eyes keenly on his dog, he’s also got his number on her collar.

“I have the collar with a number on it. And I have a microchip,” Gray said.

Getting your pet microchipped in Lee County costs $10, while an Apple Air Tag costs $29.