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AirTags for pets?

From one of the reviews:

You cannot share AirTags — they are meant to be owned by one person. The only special privileges offered by people in your iCloud Family Sharing Group is that they can silence the ‘unknown AirTag nearby’ alerts indefinitely.
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So it looks like the biggest limitation is that only one person can ever track a family's pets. Seems like a pretty dumb limitation as it rules out AirTags for anything shared like a shared set of keys, luggage, car, bike etc. So while AirTags for pets will 'work', you have to decide who in the family to pair the pet's AirTag with.
 
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Spanky Deluxe said:
From one of the reviews:



So it looks like the biggest limitation is that only one person can ever track a family's pets. Seems like a pretty dumb limitation as it rules out AirTags for anything shared like a shared set of keys, luggage, car, bike etc. So while AirTags for pets will 'work', you have to decide who in the family to pair the pet's AirTag with.
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Also, if the one family member who can track the pet goes on a trip for 3 days, the tag on the pet will start alerting. It seems like a pain to have to disable this for every trip. Also, the other person won't be able to track the pet. https://daringfireball.net/linked/2021/04/20/moren-fine-print
 
Nathan Haines said:
I've got two young kids, if I were to add AirTags to say a necklace or something... is there any reason why this wouldn't work? I get a little hazy on this product because Apple were specific in that they're not meant for tracking people.
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Yes.
 
I will buy them for this use case. However I am looking for a D ring accessory which protects completely, both sides, the AirTag. Not a collar like shared in the previous page. Could not find it.
 
Spanky Deluxe said:
So while AirTags for pets will 'work', you have to decide who in the family to pair the pet's AirTag with.
Click to expand...
This is what turns me off on putting this on my dog. I don't want the AirTag to start beeping when my wife is walking our dog, or when the in-laws are watching her for that matter. I might try it out for fun, but don't really see the value at this point in time for a dog both because of the anti-tracking thing and not being able to share the tag with more people.
 
Isn’t apple meant to be licensing this technology out (that’s why you can add ‘other supported items’ in the Find My app?) As such, I’d expect that a company should be giving us a airtag-enabled collar in a different form factor.
 
Nimrad said:
This is what turns me off on putting this on my dog. I don't want the AirTag to start beeping when my wife is walking our dog, or when the in-laws are watching her for that matter. I might try it out for fun, but don't really see the value at this point in time for a dog both because of the anti-tracking thing and not being able to share the tag with more people.
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It will not beep as long as your wife and you are using Family Sharing.
www.macrumors.com

AirTag Tidbits: Maximum of 16 Per Apple ID, Low Battery Notifications on iPhone, and More

AirTag, announced this week and shipping on April 30, is Apple's long-rumored Tile-like tracker for locating and keeping a tab on items such as...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

As Kaiann Drance explains, if an AirTag is being shared with an Apple ID within Family Sharing, the owner of the AirTag can disable the safety alerts to prevent their family or friends iPhone from detecting it as unwanted tracking.
Click to expand...
 
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lieb39 said:
Isn’t apple meant to be licensing this technology out (that’s why you can add ‘other supported items’ in the Find My app?) As such, I’d expect that a company should be giving us a airtag-enabled collar in a different form factor.
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Impossible. I have a collar built with such tech, Apple denied it. Because of their policy of not tracking people or pets. If you want to track a pet, you need to rely on an AirTag attached to an unofficial, not Apple-approved collar. Apple will deny/reject any pet product.
 
F308gt4 said:
I don’t see the value for a pet. If you really care about the pet, you can get them chipped at the vet.
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Completely different technology. That requires a person finding, grabbing, and taking your pet to a vet to get scanned. This is more “fluffy escaped and is 2 blocks away by the playground and someone’s iPhone is pinging off it.”
 
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Nathan Haines said:
I've got two young kids, if I were to add AirTags to say a necklace or something... is there any reason why this wouldn't work? I get a little hazy on this product because Apple were specific in that they're not meant for tracking people.
Click to expand...
Here’s a good video that covers some of this (ie using airtags to track pets or kids). Look at the comments to the video too...looks like there are some limitations in that someone with an iphone can disable the airtag if their iphone reports that an air tag that is not registered to them is ”following” them. For example, if your kid got away from you in a crowded mall or airport where lots of people have iPhones. Even though your kid is out of your Bluetooth range (ie after 300 or 400 yards for example), other peoples iPhones that are in BT proximity of your kid will report back the location of the Tag. That sounds great! Sounds though like there is this feature called “movement alert” or something that will give someone an “alert” if an airtag (not registered to them...is following them)...and they could disable the airtag. So, in the scenario above, your kid might be walking along side many people in the mall (with iphones) and one of them gets an alert that an air tag is following them. Any one of these people could then “disable” the airtag (ie say if they were a cheating spouse and they thought their partner had planted an air tag on them to track their movement:). But...still...any help in finding a lost kid or pet is better than nothing!!
 
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fishkorp said:
Completely different technology. That requires a person finding, grabbing, and taking your pet to a vet to get scanned. This is more “fluffy escaped and is 2 blocks away by the playground and someone’s iPhone is pinging off it.”
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And then fluffy is in a new spot by the time you get there, or there is no iPhone around at all to ping off of. Get a GPS tracker if you’re concerned. This is going to fail more often that not for this application and is exactly why Apple doesn’t condone it.

It’ll only be a few weeks before we get some stupid article blaming Apple for not being able to locate their dog before they found them run over on the side of the road.

There are gps trackers without monthly fees. Get one of those and actually find your dog if it gets lost.
 
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mnsportsgeek said:
And then fluffy is in a new spot by the time you get there, or there is no iPhone around at all to ping off of. Get a GPS tracker if you’re concerned. This is going to fail more often that not for this application and is exactly why Apple doesn’t condone it.

It’ll only be a few weeks before we get some stupid article blaming Apple for not being able to locate their dog before they found them run over on the side of the road.

There are gps trackers without monthly fees. Get one of those and actually find your dog if it gets lost.
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I’m not disagreeing. I have a Whistle GPS on both dogs. (What GPS has no fees? Everything that works “everywhere” requires cellular. No company can absorb those costs. I know, I make cellular enabled devices)

And people can blame Apple, but they hold ZERO liability since they’ve stated over and over it’s not for pets, and will not certify or approve products or accessories for pets used with AirTags or the Find My network. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they send C&D letters to any of the US companies selling collars and pet-specific accessories. Because when (not if) a pet is untrackable), people will blame Apple’s tech, not the collar manufacturer. As I’ve said in many threads, they will not approve/certify a pet accessory or product. So no collars, tags, etc that fit an AirTag will have Apple’s seal of approval. I know from experience. I have a company that makes pet products. Every product I’ve submitted for Find My has been denied, even if something that doesn’t attach to the pet.
 
fishkorp said:
I’m not disagreeing. I have a Whistle GPS on both dogs. (What GPS has no fees? Everything that works “everywhere” requires cellular. No company can absorb those costs. I know, I make cellular enabled devices)

And people can blame Apple, but they hold ZERO liability since they’ve stated over and over it’s not for pets, and will not certify or approve products or accessories for pets used with AirTags or the Find My network. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they send C&D letters to any of the US companies selling collars and pet-specific accessories. Because when (not if) a pet is untrackable), people will blame Apple’s tech, not the collar manufacturer. As I’ve said in many threads, they will not approve/certify a pet accessory or product. So no collars, tags, etc that fit an AirTag will have Apple’s seal of approval. I know from experience. I have a company that makes pet products. Every product I’ve submitted for Find My has been denied, even if something that doesn’t attach to the pet.
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Didn’t mean to have my post sound like it was directed at you. Just generally speaking to everyone that thinks this is a good idea in this thread.

This one has a 3 mile range and notifies you as soon as the dog leaves the yard for no monthly fee. The 1 yr sub it includes is for vet services and is not related to the tracking at all.

https://www.chewy.com/findster-duo-...0&clickref=1100lgA9Yxrs&utm_term=1100lgA9Yxrs
 
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mnsportsgeek said:
Didn’t mean to have my post sound like it was directed at you. Just generally speaking to everyone that thinks this is a good idea in this thread.

This one has a 3 mile range and notifies you as soon as the dog leaves the yard for no monthly fee. The 1 yr sub it includes is for vet services and is not related to the tracking at all.

https://www.chewy.com/findster-duo-...0&clickref=1100lgA9Yxrs&utm_term=1100lgA9Yxrs
Click to expand...
$234 😳

I'd try my luck with AirTag first irregardless of its shortcoming.
 
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mnsportsgeek said:
Didn’t mean to have my post sound like it was directed at you. Just generally speaking to everyone that thinks this is a good idea in this thread.

This one has a 3 mile range and notifies you as soon as the dog leaves the yard for no monthly fee. The 1 yr sub it includes is for vet services and is not related to the tracking at all.

https://www.chewy.com/findster-duo-...0&clickref=1100lgA9Yxrs&utm_term=1100lgA9Yxrs
Click to expand...
Ok cool. Not me for, but I can see that being good for a number of people, especially those with smaller dogs. We need an “always and everywhere” solution. Well, cell and GPS satellite dependent. We have huskies, 3 miles is a joke for them if they got out and ran. Especially our boy. He’s topped 27mph and stamina for days (he’s currently the fastest husky in AKC competition based on average of 3 best times)
 
DSTOFEL said:
Here’s a good video that covers some of this (ie using airtags to track pets or kids). Look at the comments to the video too...looks like there are some limitations in that someone with an iphone can disable the airtag if their iphone reports that an air tag that is not registered to them is ”following” them. For example, if your kid got away from you in a crowded mall or airport where lots of people have iPhones. Even though your kid is out of your Bluetooth range (ie after 300 or 400 yards for example), other peoples iPhones that are in BT proximity of your kid will report back the location of the Tag. That sounds great! Sounds though like there is this feature called “movement alert” or something that will give someone an “alert” if an airtag (not registered to them...is following them)...and they could disable the airtag. So, in the scenario above, your kid might be walking along side many people in the mall (with iphones) and one of them gets an alert that an air tag is following them. Any one of these people could then “disable” the airtag (ie say if they were a cheating spouse and they thought their partner had planted an air tag on them to track their movement:). But...still...any help in finding a lost kid or pet is better than nothing!!
Click to expand...
Thanks for this video.
This is why the tag suits me. I live in highly populated city.

Only concern is if parents watch the dog for a few days and it starts making sounds. If there is a way to disable the alerts while they have them. It be great.
 
I bought two for my cats for when they are outside. unsure how i will fasten to collar, but I am sure something will show up on amazon within a couple of months.


One thing to keep in mind, you may run out the batteries sooner than one year if you have the app up the entire side they are out on their outside walk abouts.
 
macsplusmacs said:
I bought two for my cats for when they are outside. unsure how i will fasten to collar, but I am sure something will show up on amazon within a couple of months.


One thing to keep in mind, you may run out the batteries sooner than one year if you have the app up the entire side they are out on their outside walk abouts.
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How is this going to work on a cat? The cat would have to be around people's iPhones to ping the mesh network. Or be within Bluetooth range of your phone in which case you could probably see it? Curious cuz I so want it to work for my cat but I don't see how.
 
DSTOFEL said:
Here’s a good video that covers some of this (ie using airtags to track pets or kids). Look at the comments to the video too...looks like there are some limitations in that someone with an iphone can disable the airtag if their iphone reports that an air tag that is not registered to them is ”following” them. For example, if your kid got away from you in a crowded mall or airport where lots of people have iPhones. Even though your kid is out of your Bluetooth range (ie after 300 or 400 yards for example), other peoples iPhones that are in BT proximity of your kid will report back the location of the Tag. That sounds great! Sounds though like there is this feature called “movement alert” or something that will give someone an “alert” if an airtag (not registered to them...is following them)...and they could disable the airtag. So, in the scenario above, your kid might be walking along side many people in the mall (with iphones) and one of them gets an alert that an air tag is following them. Any one of these people could then “disable” the airtag (ie say if they were a cheating spouse and they thought their partner had planted an air tag on them to track their movement:). But...still...any help in finding a lost kid or pet is better than nothing!!
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. I’m defo going to watch the video. Yeah, it’s the following alert that’s going to potentially break the solution.
 
DotCom2 said:
How is this going to work on a cat? The cat would have to be around people's iPhones to ping the mesh network. Or be within Bluetooth range of your phone in which case you could probably see it? Curious cuz I so want it to work for my cat but I don't see how.
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We have LOTS of plants in our backyard. and the father-in-law, when he comes down uses the whole backyard as his workshop spreading out tools and wood to upkeep our house.

Sometimes I look away and cat see the cat since he is behind of a plant. I just want to make sure he is there and did not skip down the driveway or around back where he can jump over the fence. really just piece of mind.
 
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