The Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL) is alerting pet owners about a new scam impacting families who are searching for their missing pets. Scammers are contacting owners of missing pets online and falsely claiming to be from the Arizona Animal Welfare League or another animal rescue organization. They tell families their pet has been found and needs emergency care, then demand payment over the phone.
AAWL says that it does not take in strays and will refer people to Maricopa County Animal Care & Control or Arizona Humane Society. Also, they would never demand money over the phone.
If you do receive a suspicious call or text like this, do not send money and contact your local law enforcement agency to report the scam.
Find more information about lost pets or learn about other types of assistance at https://aawl.org or by visiting https://www.azhumane.org.
