Pet scam victim launches app to protect others

Designer Kate Margolis was scammed out of £500 while trying to buy a dog online

A victim of pet fraud said a seemingly reputable dog breeder "disappeared into thin air" online after scamming her out of £500.

Kate Margolis, a designer from Tetbury, intended to buy a golden retriever that was due to be born in December 2019 but she was told the dog had died the day before she was due to collect him, in February 2020.

When she tried to recover the deposit she had paid her calls went unanswered and the breeder's website disappeared, leaving "absolutely no trace".

After discovering pet scams like these were common, Ms Margolis created an app called Pet Proov to protect people who buy animals online from falling foul of similar forms of fraud.

Ms Margolis said she had found the breeder online and the website had credentials and testimonials.

"He told me he was having a litter in December of 2019 and asked me questions around my living situation, financial status..." she said.

"I felt he was checking me out which I thought was great."

Ms Margolis hopes her new app will help keep people safe when buying pets online

Ms Margolis then paid the £500 deposit, bought pet supplies, booked a vet appointment and began to look into puppy classes.

However, the day before picking up the dog, she got an email from the breeder telling her the animal had died from ingesting plastic.

"It was really upsetting but I also thought that was very strange," she said.

"He asked me if I would like a female dog instead and I said no.

"When I asked to get my deposit back, he stopped replying and stopped answering my calls."

She then saw the breeder's website had gone.

"They disappeared into thin air leaving absolutely no trace," she added.

Since 2019, pet scams have cost the UK £2.5m, according to Action Fraud with the majority of them starting on social media.

Ms Margolis now has a golden retriever called Milo, bought from a safe breeder

Ms Margolis has since bought a golden retriever named Milo from a different seller who allowed her to see his mother and father and living environment.

She used her experiences to create an app that allows buyers and breeders to automate an email to each other asking to complete a verification form and provide identification along with a biometrics face check.

The app also gives users access to an Innate Health Assessment (IHA) developed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APPGAW) which assesses whether a selectively-bred dog meets regulatory physical requirements for welfare.

APPGAW director Marisa Heath said the group wants to tackle concerns around poor breeding and fraud by giving people "a moment to check they are doing the right thing".

She said: "It [the app] really is to empower the public and to help dog welfare.

"It's a one-stop way to understand that you're making the right decision on someone who is going to be part of your family and a creature that could cost a lot in veterinary fees and a lot of heartache if things go wrong."