Leading national animal welfare charity Companion Animal Network Australia (Australia CAN) is warning pet adopters about fake rescue groups that are breaking hearts and draining bank accounts.
“The majority of pet rescue groups are run ethically by staff and volunteers who are dedicated and work hard to save animal lives,” says Trish Ennis, CEO of Australia CAN, a registered charity representing the companion animal welfare work of member organisations across the country.
“But sadly, there is a rise in scam pet rescue groups targeting people who want to adopt from a shelter or rescue.”
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When pet love is blind
One such victim of a pet rescue scam is 78-year-old Christine Jenkins, who lost $2,500 via a fake website called WoodPetsAU (which has now been shut down).
She had been hoping to welcome a six-year-old rescue dog that, it turned out, sadly did not exist.
Jenkins lives alone in her Sydney home and after having had many dogs in the past, she had spent close to the last decade without a furry companion.
“I didn’t know about pet scams and felt so stupid for not being more aware.”
She fell in love with the cute little Cavoodle named Milo, who supposedly belonged to a family with a terminal illness and could no longer look after him.
It was after Jenkins transferred the money that she got a Facebook message from ‘David’ asking for more funds to cover a broken travel crate, when she realised she was duped.
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“I felt sick inside. I became quite unwell because of that,” Jenkins says.
“I didn’t know about pet scams and felt so stupid for not being more aware. I was in love with this dog and all reason went out of the window.”
To raise awareness about pet scams, Australia CAN has partnered with Puppy Scam Awareness Australia (PSAA), a dedicated organisation that brings awareness about the thousands of pet scamming syndicates who prey on pet shoppers, helps puppy shoppers spot a scammer and assists those who have been scammed.
When PSAA posted about the scam in their Victims Support Group, they received a huge response from people wanting to donate a dog for Jenkins.
As a result, the group was able to help organise a suitable rescue dog to be gifted to her, along with a box of doggy presents donated by Presents for Paws.
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“[The gesture] made so much difference that the horrible experience is now fading into the background,” she says.
“I’m overcome with the kindness, generosity and response of people, and it restored my faith a lot.”
Jenkins has now welcomed her rescue dog, Max, and is sharing her story so other people can be aware of fake pet rescues.
PSAA also works to report and shut down scammers’ online presence and helps victims try and get their money back.
“We are very concerned that pet rescue scams are on the rise,” PSAA Founder Sandy Trujillo says.
“Sadly, many pet lovers are getting pulled into these online scams thinking they are legitimate and often take what scammers say at face value. There are hundreds of these pages on social media and the public are unaware of what the red flags are.”
Trish Ennis adds: “Scammers are impersonating real animal shelters and rescue groups or posing as people who want to rehome an animal and tricking the public into adopting pets that don’t exist.”
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