Looking for the best way to track your pet? You might have looked at the AirTags to start with, but there are some better options out there, too.
Originally Posted on Make Use Of by QUINA BATERNA
PUBLISHED SEP 21, 2021
When a pet slips out the door or bolts during a walk, the minutes that follow are tense. Owners worry about accidents, illness exposure, or simply the stress of a lost animal. With pets treated like family members, many of us turn to tracking technology to gain peace of mind. Apple AirTags are a popular, readily available option, but they aren’t the only—or always the best—choice for pet tracking. Below is a clear, practical look at the AirTag’s strengths and limitations and several alternatives built specifically for pets.
Why the Apple AirTag Is Great Pet Tracker
Apple has been explicit that AirTags are intended for objects rather than people or animals, yet several features make them attractive for pet owners. The AirTag benefits from Apple’s vast Find My network, which uses nearby iPhones to help locate a tagged item. This crowd-sourced approach can dramatically increase the chances of finding a lost pet in areas with many Apple users.
AirTags are compact, lightweight, and easy to attach to a collar. They fit seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem, offering simple setup and precise location reporting when you are nearby. However, AirTags also have limitations because they weren’t built specifically for pets. Anti-stalking safeguards mean an AirTag left separated from its owner will notify nearby iPhones of its presence after a limited period, which can interfere with long searches. There are also relatively few purpose-built collars designed to hold an AirTag securely.
Durability is another consideration: AirTags are designed for objects, not for animals that swim, roughhouse, or chew. They don’t collect health or behavioral data the way dedicated pet trackers do, so if you want activity monitoring, health alerts, or vet integration, a pet-focused product is a better fit.
If you want features tailored to animals—such as health monitoring, reliable outdoor tracking, or dedicated pet-collar hardware—consider these alternatives.
1. Whistle GO
Whistle GO is designed to be more than a location tag: it monitors behavior and health indicators alongside location. It can detect changes in habits—like increased licking or scratching—that may point to a medical issue and can notify owners early. The device tracks activity patterns (walking, running, sleeping) automatically and lets you set activity goals and reminders for medication or vet appointments.
Built for outdoor use, the Whistle GO carries an IPX7 rating, making it safe for temporary submersion. Its companion app offers historical activity data and can support tele-vet consultations when available, supplying useful information for remote assessments. Whistle GO also supports geofencing so you can set safe zones and receive alerts if your pet leaves the area.
2. Huan Smart Tag
The Huan Smart Tag is a budget-friendly option that emphasizes simplicity and basic tracking. It’s lightweight, durable, and claims a long battery life along with a lifetime warranty. When you mark the tag as lost, the service generates a missing-pet webpage that displays the pet’s last known location, photos, and contact details.
Huan uses Bluetooth-based location sharing through its community of users and can notify emergency contacts if the pet appears to be home alone for an extended period. The main trade-off is coverage: the Huan network relies on enough nearby users for effective crowd-sourced tracking, so its reliability varies by region.
3. PetPace Collar
The PetPace Collar is designed like a fitness tracker for pets, focusing on health and biometric monitoring. It measures indicators such as heart rate, respiration, activity levels, calorie burn, and body temperature to help detect stress, fever, or overheating. This kind of continuous health data can be especially useful for aging pets or those with chronic conditions.
PetPace offers a multi-week battery life and comes in several sizes. It’s rated for water resistance (IP67), making it suitable for everyday wear but not for extended submersion. One important limitation is the need for a PetPace Gateway base station nearby to upload and access detailed data remotely; your collar must be in range of that base to synchronize its records.
4. Fi Smart Dog Collar
The Fi Smart Dog Collar emphasizes ruggedness and reliable GPS tracking. Constructed with reinforced hardware and an armored face plate, it’s built to withstand rough play and outdoor conditions. With a high IP rating for water and dust resistance, Fi is a strong choice for dogs who swim or spend time on sandy beaches.
Fi collars are primarily aimed at medium to large dogs and may be less suitable for very small pets. The device supports long battery life between charges and allows you to set geofenced safe zones—when your dog exits the zone, you get an immediate alert. In Lost Dog mode, the system uses GPS, cellular, and Wi‑Fi signals to help locate your dog quickly.
Keep Your Pets Safe
Technology can’t replace careful supervision, but it can greatly reduce the stress of a lost pet and improve outcomes when an animal runs off. Whether you choose an AirTag or a purpose-built pet tracker, think about your pet’s size, habits, and lifestyle when selecting a device. Waterproofing, battery life, community coverage, health monitoring, and how the device attaches to a collar are all important factors.
Each tracker has trade-offs. The right choice depends on whether your priority is precise location tracking, durability, health monitoring, or affordability. Using a combination of tools—microchipping, ID tags, and a tracking device—gives the best chance of bringing a lost pet home safe and sound.