Can Apple AirTags Be Used on Pets?

Despite of there being a lot of tracking devices, there is no device that specify it’s use for pets. Most of the devices use GPS tracking which cannot be used on pets since they are very fragile and expensive. That was until the release of Apple AirTag in 2021.

Although, Apple does not specify that AirTags can be used on pets, people have used them and are satisfied with how efficient they are. However, with all the praises, you will not miss a few people who complain over the same device.

The guide below is a compilation of all the positive and negative setbacks associated with using AirTags to keep track of your pet. By the end of the guide, you will make a sound decision as to whether you need an AirTag or you can survive without one. Let’s get started.

Can apple AirTags be used on pets?

There is no greater pain than losing your pet and not able to tell where he is gone and whether he will come back. Unlike kids, you cannot use an Apple watch to keep track of your pet as they are expensive and delicate. As for AirTags, they are very tiny, affordable and secure.

From the day Apple released AirTags up to now, they have not released a list of items you can track using AirTags. People have gone ahead to improvise their own ways of using the tracking devices. Since there is no list, is it advisable to use AirTags to track your pets?

A community of AirTags users who have been using AirTags to track their pets have given their comments as to whether AirTags are good for Pets. Of all the comments, there is not even a single comment saying AirTags are harmful to pets. In fact, people are loving AirTags more. However, there are some few complains about AirTags among the comments.

We will give a small review of all the comments about the use of AirTags for pets before giving our own verdict.

AirTags for Pets Review

AirTags operate in a very efficient way. Provided you have connect it to an iPhone with enabled Find My app and Find My Network, you can locate it anywhere in the world. If your AirTag gets lost and it happens to be in close proximity to someone with an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, the location history gets updated on your iCloud account.

Since there is a large community of Apple device users, your AirTag will never get lost entirely. This is what makes them good for pets.

Indoor pets might find themselves lost from to time and finding their way home might be really hard. However, thanks to AirTag, your pet will never get lost again.

AirTags are very tiny and lightweight. If you connect the AirTag to an AirTag pet collar, your AirTag will be secure at all times.

Once the AirTag is attached to a pet collar and connected to a compatible Apple device, you can start tracking your pet. Despite of AirTags easy to use are they harmful to pets?

Are AirTags Harmful to pets?

AirTags do not use any electro magnetic waves to send signal to your iPhone. What they use is the harmless Bluetooth connection to communicate to your iPhone. So, there is no way they will harm your pet.

Although AirTags are harmless, storing them carelessly might cost you a lot. AirTags are very tiny. Since most pets are very playful, they might end up swallowing the device. If this happens to your Dog, you can try some first Aids and rush your pet to a vet. Other than that, AirTags are very safe for pets.

What are pros of relying on AirTags for the safety of our pets?

Since there are not so many tracking devices that can keep our pets safe, AirTags come in handy. So, if you are skeptical about AirTags, here are some advantages of using AirTags.

AirTags are very affordable: Unlike Apple watches, AirTags cost $99 for a pack of 4 and $29 for one.
Long lasting battery: AirTags uses lithium CR2032 batteries that last up to 1 year without needing a replacement. Aside from that, the batteries are very cheap: A park of 6 CR2032 batteries costs $8-$10.
Tiny and lightweight: AirTags have a sleek design and smaller in sizes. An AirTag weighs 11 grams. When connected to a collar, your pet might not even notice they are carrying any device.
Waterproof: AirTags are waterproof. Your pet can therefore take a swim or even play in the rain without damaging the Airtag. Your AirTag can still be detected even when it falls in a pool.
There is a large community of Apple users: AirTags relies on other people who use Apple devices for tracking. Luckily, there are over a million people who uses Apple devices all over the world. So, even if your pet gets lost, the location history will still update once it comes across someone with an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
They are very accurate: The radio frequencies used to transmit data from the AirTag to your iPhone are very accurate. If you have iPhone 11 or any latest versions of iPhones you can take advantage of precision finding feature to pinpoint where your AirTag is. With AirTags you will always retrieve your pet.
There are a variety of AirTags pets collars in the market: Since you cannot attach the AirTag to a pets skin, you can purchase an AirTag pets collar to attach the AirTag. Most of this collars come with a soft leather casing that holds an AirTag. This collars are reflective and breakaway. You can be assured that your pet will be safe at all times.

Cons of relying on AirTags to track your pets

Aside from the amazing work AirTag does, there are a few downsides to using the tracking device.

It is easy for your pet to swallow the AirTag: The small size might be advantageous for when your pet is carrying it around. However, the same small size of AirTags makes the subject to being swallowed. Your pet might swallow the AirTag when it is playing with it.

Ensure you have attached the AirTag to an AirTag pet collar to prevent such accidents. You should put the AirTags inside drawers when not in use. If your pet swallows the AirTag, you should rush it to a vet.

AirTag collars are not that comfortable: Since you need an AirTag pet collar to hold the AirTag, you should ensure that the collar you are buying is made of high quality material. Your pet will always try to resist the collar. You can help him out by buying something a bit comfortable.
Relying on Find My Network might fail you: Despite of how useful Find My Network is, you cannot always rely it to track your pet. Most pets will avoid crowded places when they are lost. If they don’t come across someone with an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, then the location history might not be updated.

Again not everyone owns Apple devices.

AirTags lack the family sharing feature: If there is an aspect where Apple failed while designing AirTags is failing to include family sharing feature. A family pet is not owned by one member of the family. So, if someone else wants to walk your pet, they might have to endure the constant sound produced by AirTags when they separate from the owner.

If the pet is on its own, the noise produced might disturb them making them get lost more.

Are AirTags any good for pets?

From the review above, you can see that it is possible to work around the downsides of an Airtags.

If you don’t want your pet to swallow the AirTag, invest in a high-quality AirTag pet collar.
To protect your pet from the annoying the noise produced by AirTags, disable the safety alert or transfer the AirTag to the person walking your pet.

Other than the few downsides, AirTags are very helpful when it comes to keeping your pets safe.

If you are convinced that AirTags are the best option for your pet, this AirTag cat collar buyer guide will help you find the best AirTag collar for your pet.

How to use AirTags to Track pets?

Before you start using an AirTag to keep track of your pet, you will need a compatible Apple device. AirTags are compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad with iOS 14.50 or latest versions. If you want to enjoy precision finding feature you should upgrade to iPhone 11 and latest iPhones.

The next thing you should do is to check if your AirTag is viable. Remove the battery and then replace it again. The AirTag battery will produce a sound when replacing it to show that it is connected and working.

Prep your iPhone for connection.

Turn on Bluetooth and internet connection.
Enable two-factor authentication, Find My app, and Find my network.
If you don’t have an Apple ID, you should create one. Do not use a managed Apple ID as it won’t connect to your AirTag.
The next thing is to bring the AirTags closer to the iPhone for connection.
When the AirTag is connecting, it will be advertising itself. Once it is connected, rename it and save.
You can then go ahead and test if you can locate your AirTag.

Connection process is the hardest. You might think there is something wrong with your AirTag if you miss a step. Attach the AirTag to a high-quality AirTag pet collar for safety.

In a case where your pet is lost, you can trace it easily.

Go to find my app
Tap on the items bar.
Select the pets AirTag.
If it is in range, you will get a direction and the distance you should move to retrieve your AirTag.
If the AirTag is not in range, you should tap the map and check the last place your pet was found. You can tap on the exact location to receive the direction and distance.

Retrieving lost AirTags rely on Find My Network which utilizes the fact that there are a lot of Apple devices all over the world. Once your pet come closer to someone with an iPhone with enabled Find My Network, the location history updates on your iCloud account and you can use that data to find him.

Conclusion

Using AirTags to track pets does not harm your pet by any chance. The only issue is that you will need to attach the AirTag to a collar which pets find uncomfortable most of the time.

The guide above offers all the solutions to issues you might encounter when using AirTags for pets. Read it thoroughly and subscribe to this page to get more information on life improvement technology.

References

Li, Q. (2021, December). Analysis of Innovation Opportunities for AirTag. In 2021 3^rd International Conference on Economic Management and Cultural Industry (ICEMCI 2021) (pp. 1496-1498). Atlantis Press.
Patil, H., & Ansari, N. (2020, April). Smart Surveillance and Animal Care system using IOT and Deep Learning. In Proceedings of the 3^rd International Conference on Advances in Science & Technology (ICAST).
Saltzman, M. (2022). Apple Watch for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons.