Apple's AirTag Lost Item Prevention Device
Accidents Increase as Dogs Swallow After Attachment to Leashes
"Dogs' Behavior... Must Remove as Quickly as Possible"
Recently, there have been increasing reports in the United States of pet dogs swallowing ‘AirTags.’ AirTags are Bluetooth devices released by Apple in 2021 to prevent loss, and they can emit sounds through connected devices like iPhones. They are about the size of a 500-won coin and are usually attached to expensive belongings or pet collars to help locate them.
On the 30th (local time), overseas IT media outlet MacRumors reported that “AirTags are small enough for medium to large dogs to swallow,” and that incidents involving pets are frequent. According to MacRumors, AirTags can safely pass through a pet’s digestive system, but if they break down inside the body, complications may arise. This is because if the battery inside the AirTag is damaged, corrosive substances can leak, damaging the stomach or causing poisoning symptoms.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also recently reported on AirTag incidents, stating, “Apple did not intend AirTags to be used as pet tracking devices, but people attach them to pet collars anyway.”
Dog owner Colin Mortimer (25) shared his story, saying, “I knew there was a problem when my dog ‘Sassy’ started beeping.” He searched under the sofa and table and with his girlfriend looked around the room, trying to find the lost AirTag before turning to his iPhone. Through the app, he found the AirTag’s location, which still showed it was inside the house.
He pressed the button on the iPhone to make the AirTag beep. However, the sound was coming from the stomach of Sassy, a Labrador Retriever foster dog. He explained, “I immediately shouted ‘Oh my God.’ Fortunately, we were able to make Sassy vomit it up.”
David Hood, a veterinarian in Louisiana, told WSJ, “I have treated six dogs that swallowed AirTags attached to their collars over the past 18 months,” adding, “They were always attached to the dog’s collar at first.”
Anne Hohenhaus, a veterinarian in New York, explained, “If a dog swallows an AirTag, it should be removed as soon as possible. Puppies tend to eat strange things more often, but older dogs also ingest things they shouldn’t. There is something about dogs’ personalities that makes them want to eat non-food items.”
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