AirTag Helps Rescuers Find Dog Lost in California Flood - MacRumors
Skip to Content

AirTag Helps Rescuers Find Dog Lost in California Flood

Apple's AirTag this week saved a dog that was swept away in California floodwaters, leading rescuers to his location. As reported by ABC7, one-year-old Australian shepherd Seamus fell into fast-moving storm drain after he got away from his owner during a walk.

seamus the dog airtag
Seamus was swept into a flood control basin and quickly floated away from his owner, but he was eventually able to crawl out of an access tube. As Seamus had an ‌AirTag‌ on his collar, rescuers were able to locate his owners, and his owners were able to track his location.

The drainage network took Seamus approximately a mile away from where he started, and he was stuck at the bottom of the access tube. On its Facebook page, the San Bernardino County Fire Department said that both the Apple ‌AirTag‌ and the conventional ID tag "aided rescuers and owners in tracking the pup and reuniting them."

Apple created AirTags to track items, and the company does not recommend using them for tracking pets, children, or other living creatures because they require a nearby iPhone to be located and do not have their own built-in GPS tracking functionality. That has not stopped many pet owners from using AirTags on their animals, and there are a wide range of collars, harnesses, and other accessories for equipping a pet with an AirTag.

Popular Stories

Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Apple Card Promo to Offer Free AirPods Pro 3

Friday May 15, 2026 8:59 am PDT by
Starting as early as next week, customers who sign up for an Apple Card at Apple's retail stores in the U.S. will receive $249 cash back when they purchase AirPods Pro 3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The promotion has yet to be officially announced by Apple, so exact terms and conditions are not available at this time. AirPods Pro 3 are priced at $249 in the U.S., so customers who...
Apple WWDC25 iOS 26 CarPlay Light mode 250609

Six Popular iPhone Apps Now Available on CarPlay

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:10 am PDT by
Apple's CarPlay system for accessing iPhone apps on a vehicle's dashboard screen has received six popular apps in recent weeks: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and the indie artist streaming platform Audiomack. Make sure you have the latest version of each app and they will automatically appear on CarPlay. ChatGPT Starting with iOS 26.4, CarPlay supports voice-based...
ipad mini 7 blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Thursday May 14, 2026 5:08 am PDT by
According to the latest rumors, Apple is close to launching its next-generation iPad mini. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code...

Top Rated Comments

HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
43 months ago
In related news, PETA attorneys representing Seamus pro-bono are suing for tracking Seamus without his knowledge or express written consent. They are filing a lawsuit against the owners AND Apple for one ga-zillion dollars... plus 5* Milkbone dog biscuits.

When asked for comment, the canine's attorney said, "All living creatures have the right to privacy or even the right to be stuck in a drain pipe as long as they like or don't like. This is clearly an egregious breach of such rights."

When asked for comment, Apple attorney said, "While we do not comment on pending litigation, did you see the game-changing performance of our new M2 Macs... and all new, magical Home Pods released this week? Order now!!!"

All ;)

*correction, make that 8 Milkbones, as the lawyer wants their cut of those too.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
43 months ago
Great to hear another story where AirTags helped this way!
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cwosigns Avatar
43 months ago
I have one on my dog’s collar. While I’ve never needed it to track him, it’s definitely worth it for a little extra peace of mind.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ Avatar
43 months ago
Wow! That’s fantastic news. What a great ending 👏🏻🐶🐾
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
43 months ago
Awwwwww, what a heartwarming story.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
43 months ago
Awwwwwwww, look at that pupper. What a sweet boy.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)