USA is known as a country of pet lovers and of course, breeding, selling and buying many types of pets inside the country is a big business. From small private farms to large commercial stores and websites for the sale of pets, there are various ways to buy any kind of pet!
While most purchases occur without any problems and the majority of breeders, sellers and buyers are genuine, there are several irrelevant people who are looking for a fast monetary remedy at the expense of a naive lover of pets, many times leaving it without money and without pet.
If you are considering buying an expensive horse, a dog with pedigree or just a rabbit or hamster, it is important to be mindful of any sign of fraud or deception, from the first approach to the arrival of the new pet at home. With that in mind, try to see our tips on how to protect yourself and your money when buying a new pet, plus a quick investigation into the most common scams when it comes to buying pets.
1) Never buy an pet that you have never seen in person. The vast majority of scams involving the purchase of pets or anything else through the internet include various methods to try to subtract money from the purchaser without actually delivering the pet that is in theory sold. There are various credible reasons that the dodgy seller will try to use to subtract money from the buyer. They become more and more complicated and misleading, and may look genuine. Care should be taken especially on sellers who say they are out of the country or have to sell a high value pet quickly and therefore accept an immediate payment or a deposit prior to the pet’s viewing of a lower value than the market price.
2) Even if you come to see the pet for sale, and then make sure of its existence and any description, how can you be sure that the seller is the real owner? You must ask for an identity document to the seller in question, even if you visit them in their home. You should not need to say it but never accept a meeting with a potential seller and the pet in a bar, park or other public place!
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3) Make sure that any transaction, such as a deposit or the entire purchase of an pet, takes place in person, that you pay by check, cash or bank transfer. Never use money transfer services such as PayPal or Western Union prepay to pay for an pet.
4) Make sure you get a receipt for each payment, and also paper documents with a confirmation of your payment to secure your future pet’s purchase and, pending a full payment that the pet is yours and in the meantime does not come Sold to others. Also, if you pay off deposit, make sure that the circumstances are clear where the deposit returns to the buyer if the purchase fails.
5) Once you have purchased the pet and successfully completed the transaction, even if you are happy about the way it is gone and you are sure the seller has been honest, it’s a good idea to go to the vet and check for the presence of a microchip right for you Be cautious. Obviously, it is advisable to take it the same day, if possible, so if there is a microchip and there was a previous owner who did not know anything, you can deal with the situation as soon as possible.
Remember that your intuition is the most important tool in avoiding scams and traps when it comes to buying a pet. If something seems wrong to you, it is many times! Even if you cannot find exactly what the wrong thing might be, you may want to get away and find another seller or shop. Some unscrupulous people invent scams to hurt innocent shoppers, and you can never know what the hidden trap is, even when you realize something is wrong.
