The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 06:31 PM

Better Business Bureau Warns 80% Of All Dog Ads On Craigslist Are Fake

LIFE - (SOURCE: WVLT, PRESS RELEASE) - Bringing a new dog home can add a lot of joy to a family, but if you're searching websites like Craigslist, you could end up with an empty leash.

"Very sophisticated operations, and they can draw anybody in. Just about anybody is susceptible to this kind of crime," a spokesperson from the Better Business Bureau said.

The BBB said up to 80 percent of the dog ads on Craigslist are fake, with no pet on the other side of the online exchange. The typical loss is around $500, but can add up to thousands of dollars.

Amy Buttry, the executive director of the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley, said people shouldn't be heading to the internet when thinking about bringing a pet into their lives.

"We would encourage people to think of adding a pet into their life and into their home as just that, as bringing a companion into your home. Not as a purchase, but more as an adoption," Buttry said.

In the case someone still wants to use Craigslist, Buttry said even the Humane Society has horror stories associated with the site.


"People adopted a pet from us, and actually went to sell it on Craigslist for much higher than the adoption fee they paid. Of course, we've reached out to them and got the animal back and made that right," Buttry said.

If you still have your sights set on buying online, the BBB suggests never wiring money or paying by card. Also, watch for grammar errors in online posts.

Buttry said when it comes down to it, the most important thing is seeing the dog firsthand.

"So we just encourage people to only adopt in situations like that, where you can actually go see the animal and where it's living," Buttry said.

Amy said if you decide to take the Craigslist route to buy a pet, make sure the seller has a reasonable adoption fee and does some sort of background check on you. Those are two red flags when it comes to figuring out if the seller is really legitimate.