A designer from Tetbury has launched an app to protect people from online pet scams after losing £500 to a fraudulent dog breeder. Kate Margolis had intended to buy a golden retriever due in December 2019 but was told the puppy had died the day before she was due to collect it in February 2020.
Attempts to recover her deposit were unsuccessful, and the breeder’s website disappeared entirely, leaving “absolutely no trace,” she said. Pet scams like these are common, with Action Fraud reporting that UK buyers have lost £2.5m since 2019, mostly through social media.
Ms Margolis found the breeder online, noting that the site 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… I felt he was checking me out which I thought was great,” she said.
After paying the £500 deposit, buying supplies, booking a vet appointment, and researching puppy classes, she received an email claiming the dog had died from ingesting plastic. When she asked for her deposit back, the breeder stopped replying, and the website vanished.
Following the experience, Ms Margolis purchased a golden retriever named Milo from a verified breeder who allowed her to see the puppy’s parents and living environment. Drawing on her experience, she created the Pet Proov app, which allows buyers and breeders to exchange automated verification requests, provide identification, and complete a biometrics face check.
The app also offers access to an Innate Health Assessment developed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APPGAW), assessing whether selectively-bred dogs meet regulatory welfare standards. APPGAW director Marisa Heath said: “It 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.”
