Authorities rescued a black lab-mix who was swept out to sea after tracking her AirTag to Ocean Beach in San Diego in late November.
Sadie, the five-year-old pup, escaped her home while her family was distracted by a football game.
A surfer contacted the San Diego Fire Department lifeguards about seeing Sadie in the Mission Bay channel, leading to rescuers launching an hour-long search with jet skis. It was only once the search was called off that they finally located Sadie.
Lifeguards rescue pup swept out to sea
Lifeguard Garrett Smerdon said responders at the beach were determined to save Sadie.
"We kind of huddled up and said that, you know, there's a good chance that Sadie was still alive. Just a five-year-old lab. They're fighters," Smerdon said.
"After an extensive search with no sightings, lifeguards began making their way back in—until a miracle happened. Jet Ski 2 spotted the dog about a half-mile offshore near South Mission Beach. Lifeguards raced out to get her, transferring the frightened pup to a surf boat crew that brought her back to Lifeguard HQ, where she was reunited with her very relieved owners," the department wrote on Facebook.
"We got closer and closer, and we realized it was her. And we were pretty excited," Lifeguard Jack Alldredge said. "We just really wanted a happy ending, and we're glad that Sadie got to go back home and, you know, survive this pretty traumatic event."