Apple AirTag for Dogs or Cats

Apple AirTag for Kuro.

No one ever wants to go through that moment where they lose their dog or cat and get into a panic. There are a few solutions in the market, like GPS Trackers, and other alternatives to Apple AirTags, some can be really expensive or require a monthly or yearly subscription. Even though your pet might be microchipped, it isn’t a good solution at all because should a person be evil enough to kidnap your pet, there’s a chance its microchip may never be scanned and you’ll have to rely on your faith in humanity (not often the best way to go).

As such, we believe that the Apple AirTag is an excellent way to track your pet, whether that is a cat or a dog - backed by Apple’s reputation for quality products. However, Apple AirTags are not designed for pets according to Apple. They've said this repeatedly through many news and media outlets when they launched the Apple AirTag back in April. In fact, Apple’s VP of worldwide iPhone product marketing Kaiann Drance made it clear to Fast Company that the pets will have to get into range of a Find My device to show up on a map.

“If people do that, they just have to make sure that their moving pet gets into range of a device in the Find My network”

— Kaiann Drance, VP of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. 

She swiftly reminded us that the company designed the AirTag to track items, not children, people, or pets. But AirTags have many of the key features needed in a dog-tracker (or cat-tracker), without breaking bank: 

"Find My" Network 

If you’re an iPhone, iPad or Mac user, you would be familiar with the Find My feature. AirTag uses Apple’s vast, global Find My network of iPhone and iPad users to help locate whatever it is attached to. With a high urban density and with more than 33% of iPhone users in Singapore, that's a huge network to tap into. Location data remains private and anonymous with end-to-end encryption. Each AirTag uses a U1 Ultra Wideband chip to help direct you to the exact location of whatever you attached AirTag to. Apple's Precision Finding System by means of the Find My App helps you more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range. 

This is quite different from the more popular GPS pet trackers that use satellite signals and cellular data information to track your pet’s location. Bluetooth trackers may lack the range and typically allow you to track within 30 to 100 feet. Suggesting that the Apple AirTag solution sounds like a much better way to track down your pet, especially since the market share of Apple products and thereby the “Find My” Network seems robust enough, especially in a country like Singapore. And despite what Apple says to the press, it seems they did file a patent on its UWB technology and cites removable tags attached to a pet’s collar as a possible use scenario in that filing. Perhaps they feel it isn’t perfect and therefore are trying to mitigate any liability (again, because they insist on quality products and perhaps they are planning later iterations to be much better for tracking our pets).

NFC Contact Information

AirTags can be scanned by any NFC-enabled smartphone. When the AirTag is found, one can scan it and it would lead to a website that will display the contact details you provide. 

One Year Battery Life

AirTags have a year-plus long battery life (impressive), with an easily replaceable battery (CR2032, similar to batteries used in Volkswagen Golf's Car Remote). It would be really expensive and exhausting to use an Apple Watch to track your dog. An Apple AirTag can clip to your dog's harness and be good to go for a whole year of safety. You can save even more by getting the ML2032 rechargeable kit with battery that works all the same.

Dust & Water Resistant

AirTags are also IP67-rated for water and dust resistance, which also means the occasional splish splosh is perfectly fine. And Kuro doesn't like water anyway. But just in case, even if it takes a dip into the water bowl, it should be okay too. 

Price 

At $45, it's not dirt cheap, but it's definitely affordable compared to many other trackers out in the market. What's even better is that it doesn't have an annual or monthly subscription nor a sim card and data plan. If you buy a pack of 4, that's a bundled price of $149. 

Technical Specifications

Diameter: 31.9mm
Height: 8.0mm
Weight: 11g
IP67 Rating: Dust, Splash and Water Resistant (maximum depth of 1m) 

Technology: 

• Bluetooth for proximity finding

• Apple-designed U1 chip for Ultra-Wideband and Precision Finding

• NFC tap for Lost Mode

• Accelerometer 

• User-replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery or get the Rechargeable ML2032 (with 4 rechargeable batteries) with charger or just the Rechargeable LIR2032 coin cell battery if you’ve run out.

Notes

1. It doesn’t beep when you’re apart. We’ve left Kuro at home while we’re out and it doesn’t beep. But just with a few clicks via the “Find My” app and we’ll know she’s at home.

2. When I can’t find Kuro, launching the app to find her is very easy, and it’s very precise.

3. While I was out with Kuro, it goes a bit funny when she is moving, but if she stays still for a little bit, the app will point me to her and tell me roughly how far she is.

4. There is a possibility that the Apple AirTag might get lost without your pet. They could rip it off their collar or its holder and hope is lost, but the same can be said for other trackers as well.

5. Some dogs that have shorter legs and closer to the ground, may not benefit from Apple AirTag holders that drag on the floor constantly, leading to wear and tear and possible loss of the Apple AirTag.

6. At the end of the day, it isn’t 100% perfect and maybe it’s not as good as GPS Trackers, but it works just the way we would want, without hefty monthly fees that can add up, it’s just the cost of the battery that you have to buy every year or so, but get the Rechargable Battery Kit so you can save even more.

7. We still think Apple AirTags are great for cats and dogs.
   

AirTag Holders that can be attached to your dog’s collar or harness to make it a little more secure:

Leather AirTag Shell

Silicone AirTag Shell

Transparent AirTag Shell

Dog AirTag Sleeve for Collars

Dog AirTag Collar

Dog AirTag Case for Collars

For more AirTag case options, click here.

Other Uses For Apple AirTags
What can you track with the Apple AirTags? Or should we say what else can you track with the Apple AirTags other than your dog/s? With a simple tracker like the Apple AirTag, using its easy tracking properties with precision, you can make sure you keep track of everything including:

Commonly Lost Items

Anything

As long as you can hook or conceal the Apple AirTag on it.

Bag

This isn't as common, but it happens.

Camera

Especially for the shutterbugs.

Car

Or where you parked it.

Coat/Jacket

Happens to the best of us.

Keys

Admit it, it's happened to you before.

Luggage

Even though they are hard to miss.

Passport

Tuck it in your passport holder if you constantly lose it.

Purse

It happens.

USB Drives

Man, are they getting smaller

Wallet

It happens.

Water Bottles

Well, it can get expensive if you keep losing them.

If you got an Apple AirTag for your dog (or anything else), do share your ideas and thoughts via the comments below. 

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