An Ontario family wanted to buy an emotional support kitten for their daughter. Instead, they got scammed.

Pet adoption scams hit an all-time high during the pandemic, but even now scammers are collecting money for animals online, only to never deliver the pet.

A Toronto, Ont., family says they are out $1,000 after trying to adopt a kitten for their daughter.

Xochilt Palocios told CTV News that they sent the money in advance to a supposed breeder, but the cat never arrived.

“The whole purpose of this kitten was to provide emotional support to my daughter who is eight years old and has cerebral palsy and she uses a wheelchair,” Palocios, who wanted to get her daughter Xiomara a pet, said.

The family had concerns about possible allergies for Xiomara, so they decided to get a Balinese kitten, which are known to be hypoallergenic. They said they found one on Instagram and contacted the breeder.

Originally, Palocios said she was told the kittens were being sold for $2,500, but when she advised the breeder it was too much for their budget, the seller agreed to lower the amount to $1,000.

“I replied back and said I was excited and happy. I appreciated the adjustment that was made,” she said.

The family was asked to e-transfer $1,000 in advance, but when they were told there was an additional $300 charge for veterinary fees, the family said they would only pay for it once they picked up the kitten. That’s when they said all communication stopped.

“At this point we got highly suspicious,” said Palocios. “There were no email responses and they blocked me on Instagram.”

After she was blocked, Palocios realized it was a scam and she had lost $1,000.

“We have no kitten, the funds have been taken, and unfortunately they have taken quite a bit from our family.”

Advice for avoiding pet-related scams

According to the Toronto Humane Society (THS), scammers operating online sometimes use stock images or stolen photos of pets and don’t actually have any animals for sale.

“If they are making excuses not to meet, that should be a red flag,” said Melissa Shupak, director of animal sheltering at THS. “Obviously, you want to meet the person and you want to engage with the animal.”

Before making a deposit, the humane society advises to receive proof that the pet is real.

“Is it a live photo? Is there a way to do a video call? Is there a way to get video just to be able to verify that this is a living, actual being,” said Shupak.

They also warn against pets, depending on the type of animal, being offered for free or a at low price. If there are requests for money for insurance, documents, shipping crates, vaccines and veterinary charges, it may be a scam.

It’s also important to be cautious if the seller won’t meet in person and if all correspondence is done online.

For Palacios, it’s been heartbreaking, as she was hoping to get the kitten to help her daughter adjust to school.

“I had been trying to assist my daughter as much as I can and to provide some company for her,” Palacios said. “I kind of wanted the kitten to be a little friend she would have when she came home.”