Lifeguards off Mission Beach pulled a 5-year-old black-Lab mix named Sadie from the Pacific about 2 p.m. after she was swept out to sea, a search that involved one dog, two people and roughly an hour of searching. Experts say dogs can get lost at the beach when they are off leash in unfamiliar, highly stimulating environments, which can lead them to wander while chasing after smells or other animals.

Sadie’s owners, Alexis and Brandon, tracked the dog’s location using an AirTag and alerted rescuers as crews from San Diego Fire Rescue and the Coast Guard searched the surf and shoreline. In this case, a small tracking device (an AirTag) helped Sadie’s owners and rescuers locate her after she went missing. The recovery ended with Sadie reunited on shore and returned to her owners.

Surfers and beachgoers first reported seeing a dog paddling offshore, prompting lifeguards to launch a search. Garrett Smerdon and Jack Alldredge of San Diego Fire Rescue joined the effort; the search continued for about an hour before the rescuers, while returning to base, spotted what they later recognized as a black snout bobbing between the waves. Lifeguards noted that conditions such as currents and visibility can make animal rescues challenging.

“It was a unique thing that I, personally, have never experienced,” said Garrett Smerdon, describing the moment rescuers located the animal. The team moved quickly to bring the dog aboard a rescue craft and return to shore. Pet-safety advocates say it is important for pet owners to ensure their dogs are leash-trained and follow local beach rules to prevent situations like this.

When lifeguards reached land, Sadie appeared tired and cold; rescuers later described her as huddling under a blanket and looking “freaked out and sad.” Jack Alldredge recalled the tense moments of the search with a one-line plea: “Please let us find this dog.” Comments from the lifeguards suggest the search felt emotionally significant to them.

On the beach, Alexis expressed relief and gratitude. “She’s the reason we’re forever grateful to the lifeguards of the San Diego Fire Rescue,” she said after the reunion. The incident has been cited as a reminder for pet owners to be vigilant, especially in environments like beaches where distractions abound.

The Coast Guard assisted in the search alongside San Diego Fire Rescue personnel, coordinating in the surf zone as owners followed an AirTag signal toward the Ocean Beach and Mission Beach area. The combination of the tracker and lifeguard patrols helped concentrate search efforts along the stretch of coastline where Sadie had been seen.

Rescuers noted the emotional reaction when they realized the dog was theirs. “We realized it was her, and we were pretty excited,” Jack Alldredge said. Garrett Smerdon added, “She was super happy to see us.” The rescue highlighted the role of lifeguards and the usefulness of having a tracking device on a pet. In this incident, Sadie’s owners used an AirTag to follow her signal toward the coast while lifeguards searched.

Sadie was reunited with Alexis and Brandon on the sand after the rescue and left in their care. San Diego Fire Rescue and the Coast Guard reported no further public details about the search timeline beyond the roughly hourlong operation that culminated at about 2 p.m.

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Original reporting: view the original article.