An AirTag is not a tracker. I can be used to see where the AirTag was last seen. But location data is not logged nor available to the owner of the AirTag.
Unfortunately that’s not true.
An AirTag can track whatever it’s attached to and the owner if the AirTag can see exactly where something is. I have them in my cars and my purse!
Sooo, if it’s attached to the dog or the house keys, the owner can monitored exactly where you are.
This is why folks put it in the luggage so that they know where their luggage is if it gets lost!
Personally I think it is too invasive and have removed it when I’m on a sit. Instead I give detailed updates on my activities/walks with the pet.
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Just remove it!
My point was that the AirTag does not support location logging over time. Yes, you can see where an AirTag was in the last few minutes to hours to days but that is one data point. Not very useful at all for monitoring when or how long dogs were taken for a walk or where the cat went in the neighborhood last night. The only way to use an AirTag for such a purpose is for you to continuously watch the FindMy app. That makes AirTags effectively useless as a GPS trackers.
In the past, you could see every location an AirTag had been detected over a period of weeks. Apple no longer allows us access to that kind of data.
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You are correct!
Do note that some folks may watch the FindMy continuously (I have) so that it can be considered an invasion of privacy since your movements and location are being monitored.
Bottom line—just remove it! Give detailed updates instead.
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We have AirTags on our indoor cats in the event they end up outdoors. A sitter removing an AirTag would not be well received by us.
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I had a homeowner have air tag on the car and house keys. I took them off because i didn’t want them tracking where i go. Thats probably for their own use incase lost. But i felt uncomfortable knowing they know where i go.
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They can not “track“ with an AirTag. They can see where the AirTag is at the moment (or, more accurately, where it was the last time an iPhone got within 30’).
So you removing the AirTag simply increased the chance the keys would be lost or, should their vehicle be towed (it happens), where the vehicle was towed. At US$400 per day for towed vehicle storage, finding and freeing a vehicle ASAP becomes a very high priority.
As an FYI, if a HO wanted to reach a sitter, they wouldn’t use an AirTag. A Tile costs about the same, works with Apple and Android products and offers 30 days worth of location history.
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Knowing more now that you had explained I feel much better leaving them on. I dont take off the animals because i need incase they took off and couldn’t find them.
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What does it mean when the air tages beeps or makes little noises?
It’s an anti-stalking feature so that you know if you have an AirTag on you and someone is tracking you.
Before the beeping noise there were cases where bad actors would drop one into a woman’s handbag to be able to monitor her location.
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Exactly…that’s how I feel constantly being spied on. Luckily this is the only sit where I’m feeling this way… and the owner wants me to come again… well …no thanks!! Feels like I’m in The Big Brother show.
Hi Alma I have them for my pets as I my old dog wondered off and it took 5 days to find him hes passed over the rainbow bridge now but one of mine is an escape artist so I have it as security .Intrestingly I have never reviewed the activity only one time . I have had excellent reviews from my sitters and uptill this current sit goven excelent review but a sitter gave me a poor review on my house . The review itself was a 5 star The house spotless in all the areas they had access to the only areas that wwerent was the terrace it had rained for about 30 day consecurively and the spare room which was clean but not tidy as that my air b n b room where all the washing etc is kept ..I mentioned this to my neighbour and she said she had never seen them walk the dogs so before responding I got the trackers out they had walked my 2 dogs less that 7 miles in 8 days and the rain had stopped by then !!. They had sent videos making out they where walking them and I never thought to chek the trackers . My current sitter I have a problem with and Ive still not cheked as I only would after the event when the sit was finished if I had had any other issues .So rest assured most sitters are just concenred they dont want to loose their fur babies
I have found cameras too. I use an app to scan for them. I’d say 7 times out of 10 I find them. I turn off the power source, cover them with a fabric and don’t bring it up. For me that has been the most peaceful way to deal with it.
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Yes I had that once. I no longer accept sits with electronically tagged pets.
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Ohh, thanks for mentioning this!
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We have encountered this as well. The cameras are obviously there to watch their dogs when they are out. When people leave for a holiday it is usually quite a stressful time and to forget to unplug a “pet watch” camera is not high on their agenda. Either a gentle reminder or, as we do, turn the cameras to face the wall works. I really do not think the majority of hosts have cameras on to spy on sitters.
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I don’t think you should assume that cameras and GPS trackers are used to monitor or control you.
The homeowner in many (most?) cases would see it as a help to you. Petty theft from the garage? The camera shows the actual thief. A frightened dog pulls away from you on a walk? The GPS prevents what could be a huge problem.
“Assume good intentions” is useful advice. Interpret others’ actions from a positive perspective, rather than leaping to negative conclusions.
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