Pet Shipping Advice: Watch Out for Kitten Scams!
How to Spot a Pet Scam
Hey There,
I recently was in the search of a kitten, and a lady emailed me saying she had a kitten but was in Nova Scotia. She told me she could arrange for the kitten to be transported via pet transporters.
I received an email apparently from your services but the requirement to pay through Western Union raised a red flag. What are your payment requirements and where is your head office? I also received the following client number: 10851.
Does any of this seem to follow your procedures?
Thanks,
Shawna
Hi Shawna,
That's definitely a scam. We advise that you cut off all communication with that person and don't send any money, as there is no kitten (most pet scammers just use stock photos they find on the internet and never have any animals in their possession).
You can read more about pet scams here to find out about additional red flags. In general, if someone advertises a "free" pet and asks for transportation costs that need to be wired via Western Union, that is a scam. It's much better to deal locally when adopting a pet -- we always suggest checking your local animal shelter first.
Unfortunately these individuals use the names of real companies (such as ours) to try to lend legitimacy to their claims, so it was smart of you to check in with us. We are not involved in situations like this and would never ask that you wire money!
Thanks for contacting us, Shawna, and let us know if you have more questions. Good luck with everything -- we hope you find the kitten of your dreams to adopt soon!
Pet Travel Question Details:
Name: Shawna
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Cat
Pet Breed: Bengal
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
To: Surrey