Buyers Beware: Pet Adoption Scams are Most Commonly Reported in December and January

New Law Effective November 21,2025 Extends Protections Against Abusive “Pet Leasing” Contracts to Online Pet Sellers

View Examples of Fake Online Pet Ads

Secretary Mosley: “Too often, these scams leave New Yorkers without the pet they were promised and with little recourse to recover their funds”

The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is providing tips to avoid pet scams this holiday season. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there are thousands of reports from consumers who lost money and never received their pet or received a sick, stolen or different animal from the one they ordered.

“As families look to welcome a new pet during the holiday season, scammers are taking advantage of that excitement to steal money and deceive consumers,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “Too often, these scams leave New Yorkers without the pet they were promised and with little recourse to recover their funds. Before purchasing, leasing or adopting a pet, consumers should take the time to verify sellers, understand their rights, and watch for warning signs that a deal may be too good to be true.”

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “In partnership with state and local law enforcement, the Department works hard to ensure the health and wellbeing of animals, including our companion animals, across New York State. I encourage New Yorkers to do their research when looking for a new pet to make sure that they are safe, happy, and healthy when they arrive to their forever families.”

Common Types of Unlawful Practices Relating to Pets:

According to the Better Business Bureau, online pet advertisements continue to be a significant source of fraud. These scams often start with an online ad that includes a picture of an adorable puppy or kitten in search of a new home. Victims are quickly lured with a popular breed and a low price. Some scammers promise to deliver the animal to the airport or even the buyer’s doorstop. However, once payment is received the pet never arrives and the seller disappears.

Another illegal practice involves pet leasing. Pet leasing is the practice of financing the purchase of a pet. A consumer makes monthly payments to a third-party leasing company but does not own the pet during the lease term. The animal remains the property of the leasing company until all payments are made. A seller may try to lease pets to consumers in illegal contracts that allow the seller to repossess the pet if a customer misses a payment. These contracts treat beloved animals as collateral and often also include steep fees.

What You Need to Know About Pet Purchasing and Adoption in NYS:

Pet leasing has been illegal in New York since 2018, but effective November 21, 2025, Governor Hochul expanded the existing 2018 pet leasing ban to cover online sales. This new law builds on the 2018 law that banned pet leasing in physical pet stores, extending these same protections to online transactions. This is part of a broader effort in New York State to reform the pet industry, which includes the separate Puppy Mill Pipeline Act banning retail pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits.

In New York State, you can adopt or purchase a pet from:

• Animal shelters, humane societies, animal rescues or other not-for-profit organizations;
• By direct purchase from small pet breeders (those who sell fewer than 25 pets per year); or
• By direct purchase from licensed pet dealers, which includes pet breeders who sell more than 25 pets per year and other types of sellers that aren’t considered retail pet stores.

Tips to Avoid Pet Scams:

Find a registered rescue or shelter: Animal shelters, rescue organizations and other not-for-profit entities that offer animal adoptions in New York are required to register with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM). This is part of an effort to provide increased transparency to potential pet owners. Find a registered rescue or shelter by visiting the AGM database of registered organizations.

Find a reputable pet breeder or licensed pet dealer: Do your research to make sure any breeder you consider is reputable. You should also research the average price of the specific breed and be skeptical of sellers offering purebred animals for free or at a discounted price. When looking online, you may not be able to tell if animals are living in small, filthy cages. To avoid supporting cruel breeding practices, read consumer reviews. If a breeder sells more than 25 dogs and/or cats per year, they must be a licensed pet dealer. To find a licensed pet dealer, visit AGM’s database of licensed dealers.

Never buy a dog, cat, or rabbit from a retail pet store: It is illegal for retail pet stores to sell cats, dogs, or rabbits in New York. However, retail pet stores can still partner with registered, nonprofit animal rescue organizations to showcase adoptable pets.

Beware of online pet scams: Scammers often steal photos of animals from other websites to impersonate an existing seller. The Animal Legal Defense Fund recommends doing a reverse image search of the pet you are interested in. If the same picture appears on multiple websites, it’s likely a scam. The same goes for customer reviews. Search for distinctive text from testimonials to see if it appears on multiple websites.

Meet in person or by live video call: Insist on meeting the seller or breeder in person to verify where the pet was born and how it’s being raised. This may help prevent the purchase of a nonexistent, sick or different animal from the one advertised. The home visit should involve seeing the entire litter and parents. If a home visit is not possible, schedule a live video call to view the seller, living environment, and animals.

Do your research: A responsible breeder will be able to answer questions about the litter. Ask questions such as: Have they been examined by a licensed veterinarian? When are their next vaccinations due? Get proof of veterinary reports and screening tests, along with photos of previous litters. The person you speak to should be able to describe the pet’s size, behavior, health condition, and other specific details. A vaguely worded advertisement that does not include these details or an owner who doesn’t seem to know the animal well are red flags. A responsible and caring pet seller should also ask you questions to make sure you’re a good match for the pet.

Avoid unusual payment methods: Avoid sending payment in an unusual way. This includes prepaid gift cards, cash and mobile payment apps. These payment methods are untraceable and do not allow you to stop payment or reverse a transaction.

Report a pet scam: If you’ve fallen victim to a pet scam or believe you’ve come across a scammer online, you can report it to the following sources:

• Federal Trade Commission
• FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center
• New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

For more resources on how to care for your pet, visit the NYS Agriculture and Markets website.

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, X and Instagram and check in every Tuesday for more practical tips that educate and empower New York consumers on a variety of topics. Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone here. 

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides voluntary mediation between a consumer and a business when a consumer has been unsuccessful at reaching a resolution on their own. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection. The Division can also be reached via X at @NYSConsumer or Facebook.