PETspot is a new website for potential puppy owners to identify legitimatebreeders and weed out scammers.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), therehave been 2,544 reports of pet scams with losses over $3 million this year, asof September 2021, compared to 498 complaints in 2019.

This is largely due to the massive uptick in people looking for a pet overCOVID, a trend that PETspot co-founder Nick Figliano identified and sought tosolve with this new company.

Figliano recognised the opportunity in the market when he nearly fell victimto a scam breeder himself.

“I realised I was dealing with a scammer before I handed over any money, butmany others aren’t so lucky. The industry is purely cash-based and there wasno payment system that covers you for pet scams — until now. That’s wherePETspot comes in, providing a secure way to pay for a dog or puppy and linkingbuyers directly with responsible sources. We’ve created Australia’s firstpayment system that is built specifically for pets.”

The platform provides a space where potential pet owners can contactindependently verified breeders, allowing them comfort and peace of mind whenpurchasing a pet.

PETspot’s verification includes requiring dog breeders proof of registrationwith regulatory bodies, showing health tests of the litter of puppies, and anidentity check.

“We’re confident in providing consumers with a guarantee of the safety oftheir transaction because of the rigorous checks and balances we have in placebefore a breeder is allowed to list themselves on our website,” said Figliano.

There are currently over 200 authenticated breeders using the website and $3million worth of dogs and puppies have found a home through the platform.

Tagged: Breeder, PETspot, Puppy, Scam

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