ABQ Times

The City of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department (AWD) has issued a warning to residents and animal shelters about ongoing telephone scams targeting pet owners. These scams exploit the emotional distress of those who have lost pets, with the aim of extracting money from them.

Scammers are employing two main tactics. In one scenario, they contact individuals who have lost pets, requesting payment over the phone to facilitate the return of their animals. In another, callers claim that a pet requires emergency surgery and demand immediate payment for the procedure.

Residents are advised to be cautious if contacted by someone claiming to represent AWD and asking for money in connection with a missing pet, even if the call appears legitimate.

AWD does inform pet owners when their pets are at the shelter and instructs them to visit in person to reclaim their animals. If a pet is already spayed or neutered, it will be returned free of charge. Otherwise, owners will be informed of any fees upon visiting the shelter.

The department emphasizes that it would never request payment in advance for reclaiming a pet nor insist on using gift cards or electronic payments like Cash-App.

“This is a heartbreaking situation for people who just want to find their beloved missing pets,” said Carolyn Ortega, Director of Animal Welfare Department. “We encourage the community to help us protect the owners of lost pets by spreading the word of these terrible scams with colleagues, friends and family.”

The public is encouraged to share information about these scams through social media and community networks. Incidents should be reported to both the Attorney General’s Office at 1-844-255-9210 and the Federal Trade Commission.

Additionally, AWD highlights that local shelters are operating near capacity, causing stress for animals. The community can assist by adopting, volunteering, or fostering pets. Interested individuals can find opportunities at www.cabq.gov/pets.