How do I protect myself from pet and puppy scams?

Pet scams have increased sharply as more people search for pets online, particularly during periods when demand for specific breeds is high. The most common format is a convincing website or social media profile featuring photos of adorable puppies or kittens at prices below market. The buyer pays a deposit or full price, and then receives requests for additional payments — 'transport insurance,' 'customs clearance,' 'climate-controlled crate' — until they stop paying or realise the pet does not exist.

The structure exploits emotional investment: by the time the first request for additional fees arrives, the buyer has often already told their family about the new pet and feels committed. Scammers use this attachment to extract multiple payments. The pet photos are typically stolen from legitimate breeders' websites or social media — a reverse-image search of the listing photos often reveals them appearing elsewhere under a different name.

The most reliable protection is meeting the animal and the seller in person before paying anything. Visit the breeder's actual premises, see the puppy with its mother, and confirm the living conditions are consistent with responsible breeding. Legitimate breeders welcome this visit. Sellers who refuse in-person meeting, claim the animal is in another state or country, or insist on payment before viewing are almost certainly running a scam.

For rescue organisations and shelters, verify the charity registration as you would for any charitable organisation. Legitimate rescues will have a physical location, verifiable social media presence with a history, and a proper adoption process that includes references and a home check rather than just payment.