• Home
  • Report Lost Pet
  • View Lost Pets
  • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Success Stories
  • Contact

Lost Dogs Being Sold Online

Published on | 7 Replies

Many of us consider pets like Scout to be a member of the family. But when those precious pups go missing, there’s not much that can be done if they’ve fallen victim to this latest scam.

“Our little silky terrier, it’s a sub breed of a Yorkie got out one day,” said Aaron Lowe.

Lowe says 11-year-old Sushi went missing on December 5. That afternoon Lowe got a call from someone claiming they had found the dog, but the caller said Sushi ran away from them. Sushi was chipped, so the Lowes alerted the local shelters, and the microchip company as well, but Sushi was never found. Then the Lowes found something strange.

“My wife actually found Sushi for sale on craigslist. And the contact number for craigslist was the same number that had contacted me letting me know they had found my dog,” said Lowe.

The Lowes believe they had fallen victim to a practice known as dog flipping.

“This has actually been going on for years. It’s a huge problem,” said animal rescuer Erin Bouton.

Bouton adds dog flipping is a growing problem here in the Houston area.

“These are people that will steal dogs out of your back yard. They’ll take dogs that are obviously owned, maybe just lost. Instead of trying to find the owners, they turn around and flip them for cash,” said Bouton.

The types of dogs that are targeted?

“Well it’s a purebred,” said Bouton.

And sometimes even more money depending on the breed.

“So people are looking for their dogs out there, and they’re being sold on craigslist and you can’t track them,” said Bouton.

The Lowes say they were able to trace the number they had to a neighbor’s home a few blocks away.

“We figured out where he lived and called the police and sent them back over. They searched the house, didn’t find anything. He’s a minor so there wasn’t a whole lot else we could do,” Lowe said.

But is it a crime?

“If the dog is not your dog, it’s not your property, because dogs are property in Texas. So if you misappropriated somebody else’s property, that’s theft,” said Zandra Anderson, a Houston attorney.

The Lowes say they’re not giving up and hope someone see’s this story and recognizes Sushi.

“We just really want our dog back and like more people to be aware of what’s going on out there,” said Lowe.

If your dog goes missing and you see it posted online for sale, experts say to call the authorities immediately and explain the situation to them. Then set up a meeting with the alleged seller, escorted by the police. If you can prove that the dog is yours, that may be the best way to get it back.

Source: http://abc13.com/pets/lost-a-pet-check-the-internet/485229/

7 thoughts on “Lost Dogs Being Sold Online”

  1. Madison August 14, 2020 at 9:37 pm

    My puppy has been missing for almost a week and I’m scared someone sold her because she was worth a lot of money. My kids was given that puppy because our other dog passed away and my kids was missing her. My puppy is more then just a animal, she is family and I’m desperately trying to get her back

  2. Madison August 14, 2020 at 9:39 pm

    All white bishon not even two months old very very small. She is very playful and loves kids and other dogs. We are missing her so bad here please please please if anyone sees her please contact me immediately! Myself and my kids need her home, they miss her lore then anything. Please bring my baby home!

  3. Jayira January 10, 2021 at 9:01 pm

    Five month old Siberian Husky was lost Saturday 9th.

  4. Clair murray October 16, 2022 at 9:43 am

    February 24,2021
    Booger was stolen from duvall wa.
    Golden lab with pink color with elephants on it.
    Friendly,likes car rides,greets people with something in mouth.

  5. Mamie Taylor June 15, 2024 at 3:51 pm

    Stolen; 7 month old female black brindle from stoneville NC, someone has her and may be trying to sell her. Please call police if yu see her! Or me

  6. Nazanine December 13, 2024 at 3:31 am

    My dog was stolen 36 days ago. She literally just vanished like she never even existed. I can’t stop looking I can’t stop worrying about her. This is the most difficult thing I have ever experienced. If you see my dog she is stolen please get as much details as possible. Thank you so much.

  7. binance kodu March 19, 2025 at 10:56 am

    Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Archives

  • March 2016
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • March 2014
  • July 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • July 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • January 2012
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • January 2010
  • October 2009
  • July 2009
  • Register Lost Pet
  • Success Stories
  • FAQs
  • View Lost Pets
  • Customer Reviews
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Get Started

PetAmberalert.com® is the only lost pet finder system using phone and fax broadcasts to help lost pets find their way home quickly.

We issue immediate alerts via Phone, Fax, Facebook and Twitter to hundreds of neighbors and pet-care businesses.

Each PetAmberAlert® is supported by our advanced lost pet database to search for found pets, reuniting them with their owners.

(c) Copyright 2005-2025 PetAmberAlert®. All Rights Reserved.