Avoiding Pet Scams
Adding a new pet to your family is exciting, but it’s important to stay vigilant when looking for animals online. Here are some steps to help make the experience safer and more enjoyable:
🔎 If it looks too good to be true — it probably is
- Always buy or adopt in person. This allows you to inspect the pet’s health, observe their behavior, and check the cleanliness and safety of the location. Pictures can be helpful, but seeing a live animal tells the real story.
- Only pay after inspecting the pet and asking the breeder or seller all relevant questions.
- Consider using a secure cashless payment method (e.g., Interac e-transfer) instead of carrying cash. Avoid sending money via cheques, wire transfers, Western Union, or MoneyGram, as scammers often falsify documents from legitimate companies. Keep transactions local whenever possible.
📋 Do your homework
- Familiarize yourself with Canadian and provincial laws regarding pet ownership. Certain exotic animals, such as monkeys, turtles, or tiger cubs, are illegal to sell or buy and could lead to serious legal consequences.
- Review the ad carefully: Do the photos look generic or downloaded from the internet? Don’t hesitate to request additional images or details about the pet.
- Research the breeder or seller’s reputation online. Check reviews, social media pages, and any available references.
🕵️♂️ Check the details
- When visiting the animal, inspect its living conditions. If more than three dog breeds are being raised in one location, this could indicate a puppy mill, which may result in pets with health or behavioral issues.
- Be cautious of non-local numbers and requests to continue conversations via email or text. Most scams start through “Want Ads” and often involve SMS messages.
- Confirm that the address posted in the ad is local. If the seller is in another province or country, shipping may be required — a common setup for scams.
- Always ask about the pet’s vaccinations, health checks, and registration papers if applicable. Legitimate breeders or shelters will provide this information.
🐶🐱🦜 Breed-specific scam trends
- Dogs: English Bulldogs, Yorkies, Maltese, Chihuahuas, and Huskies are the most frequently targeted.
- Cats: Bengals, Sphynx, Russian Blue and Siberian are common due to their rarity and high cost.
- Birds: African Greys, Cockatoos, and Macaws are most often involved in scams.
🚫 Avoid suspicious practices
- Never pay upfront for shipping or any fees before meeting the animal in person.
- Avoid sellers who pressure you to make quick payments or deposits.
- Be cautious of generic email addresses (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo) instead of a legitimate business or breeder domain.
- Watch out for claims of pets available only via “special arrangements” or overseas shipping, as these are common scam tactics.
🤝 Safe practices for buying or adopting pets
- Meet the pet in person before signing contracts or paying any deposit.
- Use traceable, secure payment methods for adoption fees.
Remember: Popular and rare pets are frequent targets for scammers. Always verify the seller, see the pet in person, and avoid paying upfront without confirmation. Staying cautious protects both you and the animals.
