Pet Scams with Brandi Hunter

Pets are one way to get to someone's heart and their wallet. Purchasing a dog is an investment that scammers can try to manipulate for their own advantage.

Today's guest is Brandi Hunter. Brandi has been in public relations and communications for over 15 years. The past five years she has been working for the American Kennel Club commonly known as the AKC. The AKC is over 135 years old and the largest pure-bred registry in the United States. The AKC is passionate about all breeds of dogs, their sports, and their safety. Brandi shares many different resources that are available and scams to watch out for.

Show Notes:

• [0:54] - Brandi shares some background on herself working in communications and the background of the AKC.
• [1:48] - AKC's mission is to protect all dogs and make sure they have the happiest and healthiest life possible.
• [3:11] - The first thing you need to do before purchasing a pet, you need to assess your life and look at your lifestyle and household to make sure you can.
• [3:45] - Brandi also recommends you take a moment to discover if rescuing is what you should do or if you should go through a breeder.
• [4:07] - If going through a breeder, you need to make sure you are going through a reputable source. AKC has a marketplace that has a compliance program that Brandi describes.
• [5:02] - Brandi says to research breeds as well to make sure that their traits and typical behaviors make sense for your lifestyle.
• [6:10] - Be careful if you are on a website for a breeder. Double check by calling the AKC to see if they are registered. Brandi says that it is easy for someone to copy and paste a logo or make a website a scam.
• [7:12] - Chris shares his story in searching for a Mini Schnauzer.
• [8:01] - Brandi explains how some breeds are not good for first time dog owners.
• [9:02] - Chris and his wife found a breeder near a family member's home. His family member trains service dogs and decided to have her go look at the dog and breeder, the breeder completely stopped communicating.
• [10:35] - Responsible breeders want to meet you and make sure the dog is going to a good home.
• [11:53] - In every case Brandi has ever seen with responsible breeders, the breeder will say to bring the dog back if it is not the right fit. This reduces surrender.
• [12:57] - When Chris and his wife found the right breeder, he described the difference in experience. She was very communicative and cared about the dog.
• [14:01] - Nobody that is intentionally breeding wants their dogs to end up in shelters. That's not why you put the work in. Breeding is a lot of work.
• [15:34] - A puppy mill is not a term the AKC uses because they do not encourage the practice. But it is when someone breeds irresponsibility in mass after receiving money.
• [16:58] - Puppy mills and backyard breeders do not do health checks because they are only concerned about earning money.
• [18:02] - Breeding this irresponsibly is unscrupulous and completely unhealthy for the parents and the puppies. When this happens you can usually tell based on looks and behavior.
• [19:08] - A red flag will also be exorbitant prices and the breeder telling you that the puppy is exotic.
• [20:02] - Another sign to watch out for is that the breeder doesn't ask you any questions to make sure the dog is going to a good home. They only want to know that you can pay for it.
• [20:56] - When paying for a dog, Brandi says do not use Western Union or other methods of wiring money that you cannot trace. Use your credit card because you can report fraud.
• [21:33] - Another red flag is that a scammer will ask for money right away. That is the first thing they will talk about.
• [22:19] - Brandi lists some other red flags including refusal to provide papers and bad grammar on websites.
• [22:47] - When contacting a phone number on a website, always call. Numbers that you can't call but you can receive texts from is another red flag.
• [22:59] - Brandi recommends to reverse look-up a photo to see if it is a stock photo used elsewhere or to copy and paste testimonials from their website into Google.
• [23:40] - There will be no financial surprises with a reputable breeder. Brandi lists some ways scammers and irresponsible breeders will spring additional fees.
• [24:34] - Responsible breeders will work with a contract. They will have a copy and you will have one.
• [25:56] - Pricing a dog is at the discretion of the breeder, not the AKC. It is random and arbitrary so there will be no hidden costs that pop up.
• [26:50] - Brandi describes a common lost dog scam. It tugs on the emotion of the pet owner.
• [28:10] - You should always have your dog microchipped or have tags on your dog in the event they get lost. If someone calls and claims to have your dog, they need to send you a picture of the tags.
• [29:47] - Pay attention to what they're saying and to what they're not saying. This is good advice for someone who claimed to find your dog or a breeder you are in contact with to purchase.
• [31:09] - A legitimate person is only concerned with reuniting you with your dog. They should get the reward money only when the dog is returned, not before.
• [32:33] - "Do your research. We know that puppies are an impulsive buying decision. The minute that warm little nose touches your cheek, it's over for any straightforward thought you're thinking. But the desire for the pet should never outweigh your logic." - Brandi Hunter
• [33:41] - If a pet store or a shelter is doing it right, they are protecting the animal. Take the right path for you.
• [34:23] - There is a wealth of information on AKC's website, including quizzes, articles, and videos to help plan.

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