San Diego lifeguards rescue missing dog found paddling in ocean

SAN DIEGO (KABC) -- A couple visiting San Diego says they're "forever grateful" for the lifeguards who helped rescue their missing dog found in the ocean.

Alexis and Brandon were spending their Sunday watching football while visiting family and friends when their 5-year-old black Labrador mix, Sadie, bolted out the front door of the home they were staying in, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Using an AirTag on Sadie's collar, the worried couple tracked the missing pup's movements to the coast.

Nearly two miles away in Ocean Beach, surfers alerted the lifeguard tower that a dog had been swept into the rip current near a jetty.

"The dog was in the Mission Bay channel and got swept out with the current of the channel," lifeguard Garrett Smerdon said in a video posted by the fire department.

Lifeguards and a small boat from the U.S. Coast Guard searched the area in hopes of finding Sadie.

Smerdon and fellow lifeguard Jack Alldredge felt there was a good chance the dog was still alive.

"We looked for an hour," Alldredge said. "He let me know, you know, 'We're going to look for 10 more minutes.' At that point, I kind of just said, 'Please let us find this dog.'"

More time passed and the search was called off, but that's when Alldredge noticed something and realized they had found Sadie.

"We got closer and closer, and then we realized it was her," Alldredge said. "We were pretty excited."

"She was super happy to see us... She was tired," Smerdon added.

The fire department said the dog was spotted about half a mile offshore near South Mission Beach.

Sadie was put on a rescue boat and reunited with her family.

"We were literally standing right there with the guy, and he got a call on the walkie-talkie saying they had found the dog, and we kind of just held our breath," Alexis said. "And they were like, 'and the dog is alive.' And we kind of just started crying right away."

Brandon said they are "forever grateful and thankful" for those involved in the rescue.

"We just really wanted a happy ending," Smerdon said. "We're glad that Sadie got to go back home and, you know, survive this pretty traumatic event."