Adoption and reunion safety tips

Warning signs of a scam

• Asking for a deposit, transport fee or “vet fee” before you have met the animal.
• The animal can’t be seen in person or on a live video call.
• Pressure to decide quickly, or a story that keeps changing.
• Someone claims to have your lost pet but won’t send a current photo and asks for reward money first.

If you are adopting

• Meet the animal, ideally more than once, and see how they behave with people and other animals.
• Ask for vaccination and vet records.
• Agree on spay or neuter if it hasn’t been done.
• Only pay a reasonable adoption fee, after meeting, and get a receipt.

If you are rehoming a pet

• Ask questions: where will the pet live and sleep, who else lives there, do they have a vet?
• A home visit before handing over is a good idea.
• A small adoption fee helps put off people who want animals for fighting, breeding or resale.

Meeting safely

Meet in a public place in daylight or bring someone with you. Never share your home address publicly in a post.

See a post that looks wrong? Use the “Report this post” link on the post.