Mail Order Puppies

The ASPCA recently shared the story of a woman who had been the victim of an internet puppy scam. She answered a classified ad, sent the requested cash, and never heard from the guy about her money or the puppy again. People are duped by scams like this all the time, and the Internet Crime Complaint Center reports that hundreds every year have to do with dogs.

There's only one piece of advice I can offer when it comes to purchasing pets online: Don't do it. You know how mail order brides are a bad idea? Well, so are mail order puppies.

The best case scenario is that you're duped by a scam where there is no puppy. The worst case scenario is that you click the "buy" button and there's someone on the other end who is actually willing to send a dog to someone they've never met.

The only people who place pets sight unseen are those who don't care about the animals. It's the puppy mill mentality that dogs are merely commodities, which means the animals can be mistreated before, during, and after the transaction.

Make no mistake — this has nothing to do with the way that responsible rescues use the internet. Websites like Petfinder.com are a great way for rescued animals to get exposure to potential adopters, and for people to see what sorts of available animals are out there. (You'll find that about 25 percent of them are purebred, in case you were looking online for a particular breed.) But there are no one-click purchases on Petfinder. You have to actually contact the rescue, talk to them about the animal, and meet each other before the deal is done. Even when they're willing to adopt out-of-state, it involves in-person meetings and reference checks, not just a credit card number and shipping address. 

Finding a new home for an animal is not a blind transaction. As a rescuer, I need to be sure that I'm not placing a pet in a potentially abusive situation. I'm also playing matchmaker, trying to find a good fit for the dog or cat, because I want everyone to be happy and the adoption to be permanent. That means actual conversations with prospective adopters. Meeting someone face-to-face tells you a lot about them; doing a home visit tells you even more. And it's not only what I think about them — the pet needs to seem comfortable and that's not going to happen through looking at a photo or reading an email to the dog or cat.

The "buyer" runs the risk of bringing home a pet that's plagued with health and temperament issues that could have been prevented. Perhaps more importantly, adding an animal to your home is the start of a relationship. Your mail order companion may look attractive online, but personality matters. If you don't meet first and it's not a good match, then what? You box him up and ship him back? It's not like buying a sweater online that doesn't fit right. 

If you find a website or classified ad that's willing to send you a pet as soon as payment is received, walk away. Either you're about the get scammed, or an innocent animal has already been cheated.

Photo credit: tabitum