Rehoming safely: a guide for adopters and owners

Most pet scams start online. When the Pet Advertising Advisory Group reviewed pet adverts on social media, it found 94% would not meet its standards and “almost one in five of the reported ads were believed to be scams” (PAAG, November 2024). It “strongly recommends deposits are not paid for any animal that has not been seen in person” (PAAG).

Private rehoming can work well for everyone: the pet goes straight to a new home without a kennel stay. These checks are what make it safe for the pet, the owner and the adopter.

Any one of these is a reason to stop and check. More than one is a reason to walk away.

• A deposit or courier fee before you’ve seen the animal. PAAG lists “money for pet couriers or deposits upfront” as a common scam, and says the animal “might not even exist” (PAAG).
• An offer to meet halfway or somewhere public. PAAG says sellers who offer to meet halfway “probably just want to stop you knowing where they live” (PAAG), and Blue Cross warns about handovers in a street, a service station or a railway station (Blue Cross).
• Paperwork “to follow in the post”. PAAG names sellers “promising to post on medical or pedigree paperwork” as a common scam (PAAG).
• Pressure to decide today. PAAG calls a seller’s claim that the pet must go that day “a tactic to put pressure on the buyer” (PAAG), and Cats Protection says that if you feel rushed, “be ready to walk away” (Cats Protection).
• Someone posing as a rescue or a charity. PAAG warns of sellers “masquerading as a rescue organisation or even posing as a well known charity” (PAAG).
• The same photos or phone number in other adverts. The RSPCA suggests Googling the number, and says descriptions and photos are often copied between adverts (RSPCA).
• A home that doesn’t feel lived in. Dogs Trust says to make sure “the house feels like a home and not a place rented for the purpose of showing you” (Dogs Trust).
• No vet records, or vet details you can’t check. Blue Cross lists being “unable to provide proof of vaccination” and not giving “a genuine vet’s contact details” as signs of a bad seller (Blue Cross).
• A pet passport. Gov.uk says to “take care if an animal is advertised as having a pet passport, as it may be imported” (gov.uk).
• A deal that seems too good to be true. Police Scotland’s advice for any online marketplace is to “avoid buying anything that seems too good to be true” (Police Scotland).

• See the animal where it lives. PAAG’s standard is that pets “should be seen in the place they are being kept before they are bought” (PAAG). Don’t rely on a video alone (Cats Protection).
• Bring everyone who will live with the pet, and ask how it is with children, other dogs, cats and visitors. Watch how it behaves with you, not just with its owner.
• Ask about the daily routine, food, exercise, any health or behaviour problems, and why the owner is rehoming. An honest owner will tell you the hard parts too.
• Take your time. Woodgreen suggests a “cooling off period” after the first meeting (Woodgreen), and Dogs Trust says “don’t be afraid to walk away” (Dogs Trust).

• Proof of a microchip. Gov.uk says to “ask for proof a microchip has been fitted before getting a dog or cat”: a microchip certificate, vet records or a pet passport (gov.uk). If you don’t know which database holds the chip, gov.uk links to Check-a-chip to find out.
• Vet records. Ask for the vet’s health record, with evidence of vaccinations and flea and worming treatments (Dogs Trust).
• The owner’s identity. Make sure the person you meet is the owner named on the microchip record. If they aren’t, ask why.
• The fee, at the handover. If there is a rehoming fee, it changes hands when you collect the pet, never as a deposit beforehand. Take screenshots of the listing and messages before you pay (Police Scotland).
• The microchip transfer. The new keeper’s details go on the database at the handover. In England a dog or cat can’t be transferred without a chip; Scotland and Wales have the same rule for dogs; in Northern Ireland the new owner also needs their own dog licence first. See our nation pages for the detail.

Woodgreen, the only UK charity we found with a full checklist for private rehoming, says: “Verify the identity of the buyer or seller”, ask for proof of address, and take your time, because “quite a few dogs who come to rescue centres have originally been bought online, but the rehoming hasn’t worked out” (Woodgreen).

• Ask what your pet’s day would look like in the new home, how long it would be left alone, and whether there are other pets. For a dog that needs a secure garden, Woodgreen suggests asking to see photos of it (Woodgreen).
• Tell adopters about any health condition: Woodgreen says “you must let any potential new owner know” (Woodgreen).
• Neuter first if you can. Woodgreen advises neutering before you advertise “so they can’t be used for breeding” (Woodgreen).
• Watch for payment scams aimed at sellers: Police Scotland warns about “fake overpayments with a request to pay back the extra money”, “fake payment confirmation emails” and unexpected fees such as “courier insurance” (Police Scotland).
• Agree whether you would take your pet back if it doesn’t work out, and whether the adopter is happy to send you updates.

A fee is optional on LocalPetFinder. PAAG explains why “free to good home” adverts worry it: people “may get animals they have seen advertised on impulse”, and a free advert “may devalue an animal”. It also notes sellers changing “free” to “£1” to the same effect (PAAG). If you ask for a fee, it is paid at the handover, after the adopter has met your pet, never as a deposit.

• On LocalPetFinder: use “Report this listing” on the pet’s page. A report of a deposit request hides the listing at once while we check it.
• England, Wales and Northern Ireland: report fraud to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) online or on 0300 123 2040. It replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025 (gov.uk).
• Scotland: Report Fraud says people in Scotland should contact Police Scotland on 101 (Report Fraud).
• A crime happening now: call 999, or 101 if it isn’t an emergency (Report Fraud).
• A bad advert elsewhere: report it to the website first, then to the Trading Standards office for where the seller is based (PAAG). Keep screenshots in case the advert is removed.

• A person reviews every listing, and every change to a listing, before it’s published.
• Owners and adopters message through LocalPetFinder; email addresses and phone numbers stay private.
• We don’t accept puppies or kittens under 6 months, pregnant animals, banned dog types (including XL Bully), or more than two listings a year from one owner.
• Anyone can report a listing. Confirmed scams are removed and the contact is banned.