Thinking of getting a dog? Here's how to avoid falling for a puppy scam

If you are thinking about getting a dog, you really need to hear this. Puppy scams are increasing. In 2023 alone, the Better Business Bureau Scam Track reported about 2,500 pet scams in the US, with a median loss per scam being $700. The American Kennel Club spokesperson, Gina DiNardo, is here with us on how you can spot puppy scams and how you can keep yourselves protected. That's right, safe and protected. First of all, what do we have here? So this is Astro, and he is a Labrador Retriever. And this is Luigi, and he is a six-month-old Great Dane puppy. No, a puppy? Yes, a puppy six months old. He's going to get bigger and fill out more, but he's probably about half his size right now, yeah. So have you been getting reports from people about these scams? We do, not frequently, but every once in a while we will hear from people who have been scammed by someone trying to sell them a puppy that really doesn't exist. You know, people are so anxious and excited to look and get a puppy, and they start their search usually on the internet. And so you have to be careful because there are a lot of scammers on the internet. They're posing as breeders, they don't have real dogs, and they're trying to take advantage of you. So when people see that face and they fall in love, what should they think next? What should they do to make sure they're not getting fooled? So they should do their research. They should check and try to get references. They should talk to the breeder and see if they're willing to do a video chat or get on the phone call. If they just want to text, that's a red flag. Are they willing to give you references? Can you call other puppy buyers and find out their experience with this breeder? So photos aren't enough, asking for more photos of the dog. Cuz they can use stock images, and you can also check that. But you want the breeder to get on the phone with you, talk to you, send pictures of their dogs, records of their breeding program, vet records, things that you can verify the person's a real person with a real litter of puppies. Should you try to meet the puppy ahead of time if you can? You can, I mean, the best thing to do is come to the breeder's house, meet the puppies, meet the mom or the dad if you can. If they want you to meet in a parking lot, red flag, right? No, because you want to see the environment that they've been raised in. You want to make sure that they're really breeding these dogs and they just have a- Responsibly. Yeah, absolutely. I'll never forget the first time I laid eyes on my Lava. She was a puppy. We went to go visit her and her siblings and her parents. And you want to see where they're coming from, that they're being cared for. That's right, you want to make sure they're well-bred, they're healthy, they're happy. And then when you get it from a responsible breeder, you have that network, you have that person to rely on for the whole life of your dog. We're still in touch with Lava's sibling, Huckleberry, but anyway, that's for another segment. Why do you think people are so susceptible to following through these? Well, because they're so excited and they want the puppy when they want the puppy. And sometimes you have to be willing to wait. But if it's too easy, don't believe it. If it's too cheap, don't believe it. What's too cheap? Well, a good quality puppy's gonna go for, I think, at least $1,000. So if it's not, if it's cheap, if they want you to send money via Western Union or they're not willing to take a check, they won't take a credit card. They want you to send them money electronically. These are all really big red flags. And with the holidays coming up, people do give puppies as gifts. That's right. And they want to make their kids happy, so I get the excitement. But also, folks, don't forget to go to your animal shelter and rescue puppies and dogs. There are so many out there that need homes. Yep, so many need homes. Any way to get a dog is a good dog. Just own it responsibly. I love that. Thank you so much, Gina. Of course.