Adopting a Dog on Craigslist? Watch For These 10 Red Flags (Vet-Verified)

Disclaimer: This article has been reviewed for factual accuracy by a qualified veterinarian; however, the views expressed are those of the author. Prospective dog owners are urged to source their pets from an ethical breeder or reputable animal shelter.

If you weren’t aware that Craigslist is still around, surprise! The site still exists and has various forums for finding jobs, homes, and pets. In fact, if you check out Craigslist right now, you’ll likely find tons of dogs being offered up for adoption. But should you adopt a dog from Craigslist?

You can find a dog on Craigslist, but it’s essential to remember that Craigslist has no oversight. Not all pet ads are checked for scams or red flags. Unfortunately, Craigslist has many “too good to be true” dogs up for grabs. Some Craigslist ads for dogs are straight-up scams; others are people trying to rehome dogs with severe behavioral problems. Still others are dogs from backyard breeders, meaning they may have genetic defects or come from parents kept in poor conditions.

So, if you’re considering adopting a dog on Craigslist, watch for the following red flags, and if you see one, skip to the next ad (or, better yet, visit a responsible breeder or your local shelter instead)!

The 10 Red Flags When Adopting a Dog on Craigslist

1. Lack of Images or an Obvious Stock Photo

If a Craigslist ad only features a single photo of a pup, it could be a scam. Ask for pictures of the dog in other locations (outside in the backyard, at a dog park, inside the home); if the person selling the dog refuses, move along.

Also, watch for images that are obviously stock photos. Many scammers will just Google images of dogs or take pictures from websites and then post them pretending it’s their dog. Always run a reverse image search on Craigslist photos to find out if it’s online anywhere else.

2. You See the Same Ad Posted in Different Localities

Craigslist is set up by locality, so you can search for dogs in areas that aren’t where you live but don’t mind driving to for a pup. If you’re doing this and you keep seeing the same ad for the same dog pop up in all these localities, it could be a scam or a backyard breeder, both of which you want to avoid. Don’t trust an ad appearing in a million different towns and cities!

3. Payment is Requested Upfront

This is a huge red flag! If you’re considering a dog you found on Craigslist and the person trying to rehome them asks for payment before you’ve had a chance to ask questions or meet the dog, run in the opposite direction. Most likely, there is no dog, and they will take your money and disappear.

4. The Form of Payment is Sketchy

If a seller or rehomer asks for a fee but requests payment in an odd way, it’s likely because the way they’re requesting payment would make it difficult for you to recover your money if fraud occurs. What constitutes odd payment forms? Cash, gift cards, bitcoin, and wire transfers will all be challenging to trace and recover if the adoption ends up being a scam.

Also, be wary if someone requests a deposit to reserve the dog or asks for over $500.

5. The Ad Doesn’t Contain Much Info About the Dog

If you had a beloved dog you had to rehome due to unforeseen circumstances, you’d likely describe them in any ad you put up. You might say, “Fantastic pup who loves to cuddle, play at the dog park, and run around the yard.” Anybody who claims to have been living with an animal should be able to describe that animal in great detail. So, you should be skeptical of Craigslist ads that t are short on information and only vaguely worded.

6. Poster of the Ad Isn’t Interested in You

Again, let’s say you had to rehome your pup for some reason. Anybody who responded to an ad you put up would probably be met with plenty of questions, such as “Do you have other animals in the home?” or “How long are you away from home each day?” So, if you reply to an ad on Craigslist and find the poster of the ad has little interest in you, how you live, where the dog will be staying, etc., it should immediately raise red flags.

7. Poster of the Ad Won’t Agree to In-Person Contact (or Only Allows Limited Contact)

If the dog someone is trying to put up for adoption is a dog who’s been stolen, is ill or doesn’t actually exist, they won’t want to have in-person contact with you! If you’re talking to someone on Craigslist who won’t let you see the environment the dog is coming from and insists you meet them in public somewhere, it is a red flag. You should be able to meet the parents or at least the mother.

If the person says a third party must deliver the dog to you, it’s a red flag. If you aren’t allowed to meet the pup in person before you agree to adopt them, it’s a red flag! And if the person with the dog says the animal must be shipped to you and you must pay upfront, it is also a red flag!

You want to meet the dog in person before committing to providing a home for them. What if they have behavioral or health problems? You also want to ensure your puppy's parents are kept in good condition so you are not supporting unethical breeders.

Image by: Evgeniy Kalinovskiy, Shutterstock

8. The Craigslist Poster Has Lots of Puppies From Lots of Breeds

If the person posting the Craigslist ad says they have several puppies available for adoption, and all those puppies come from different breeds, it is either a scam or an unethical operation. In either case, this is an ad you’re best off staying far away from.

9. Email Addresses or Phone Numbers That Seem Off

Does the person trying to rehome their dog have an email with an extension you don’t recognize? Have you tried Googling the person’s phone or email, and nothing came up? Or perhaps you Googled the person’s name, and the contact information doesn’t match what was provided to you? Then, the chances are good you’re looking at a scam.

10. Specific Phrases

Red flag ads on Craigslist will use several phrases to convince you to adopt their dog, but even if some phrases don’t seem like a negative, they could be huge red flags. Here are a few of the phrases that should make you consider skipping to the next ad:

“Dog is fine being around other animals, as long as they get to be the boss.” (The dog probably bullies other pets and might even be aggressive towards them.)
“Prefer there is someone at home all day with the dog.” (The dog may suffer from separation anxiety, which could result in destructive behavior.)
“Dog is super protective!” (This could mean the dog reacts to other dogs or strangers aggressively or that they resource-guard and will snap at others over food/toys.)
“Requires an experienced owner.” (The dog is likely untrained, which means you’ll have a lot of work ahead of you.)
“Is an outside dog.” (This could indicate the dog isn’t potty-trained or has behavioral issues that led the dog’s last family to keep them outside rather than deal with the problem.)

Conclusion

While you can find a dog to adopt on Craigslist, it might not be the best idea. There are many scams and backyard breeders on Craigslist advertising dogs, as well as people who are rehoming pups with behavioral issues or health problems. If you would rather find a dog on Craigslist than a breeder, rescue, or shelter, watch out for the red flags discussed here. As long as you know what makes a Craigslist ad a potential scam or problem ad, you should be able to find a suitable pup for adoption.

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Featured Image Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters, Unsplash