San Diego, CA (December 8, 2025) — A black Labrador-retriever mix named Sadie was rescued off the San Diego coast after being swept into the ocean by a strong rip current. Sadie’s owners, Alexis Barcellos and Brandon Valdez, told the Washington Post that they live in Los Banos, California, and were visiting San Diego when the dog escaped from a vacation rental near Ocean Beach.
Sadie was wearing an Apple AirTag tracking device on her collar, which allowed her owners to follow her general location to the coast after she went missing. Surfers attempted to help Sadie near a jetty, but she re-entered the water and was carried farther out by a rip current.
San Diego Fire-Rescue officials stated that lifeguards launched a search after receiving reports of a dog in distress offshore. Multiple news outlets report that lifeguards and a rescue boat searched for more than an hour before locating Sadie approximately three-quarters of a mile from the beach. Rescue personnel lifted her onto a vessel and transported her to shore.
Sadie was exhausted but responsive when recovered and was later evaluated by a veterinarian for minor injuries. She was reunited with her owners after the rescue.
