Holiday Puppy Scams Michigan Residents Need to Know About

It's unfortunate, but many ne'er-do-wells take full advantage of the generosity and goodwill of their fellow man during the holiday season. From porch pirates to grifters, there's trouble around every corner around this time of year.

These aren't the kind of situations you want to deal with to end the year. Finances are strained enough on what you choose to purchase, but getting scammed can completely ruin your holidays.

Michigan residents should be on high alert for all sorts of scams, but the state Attorney General pointed out a couple of specific scams. One of the scams most emphasized for Michiganders to avoid involves gift pets.

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Puppy scams - which extend to other pets but most commonly involve dogs or cats - take advantage of those looking to gift a pet to their loved ones for the holidays. The Michigan AG recently released a flyer that details what pet shoppers should look out for when picking out a pet for the holidays.

Many pet shoppers look to buy a pet through a pet store, breeder or online. Any of these resources can be a scam in disguise and ruin your finances and your experience of bringing this pet into your life.

The flyer warns that pet stores aren't properly forthcoming of where their pets come from, which allows them to inflate prices with claims of "pure-bred" pets and the like. They also use less than ethical tactics when bringing pets to market, such as separating the pet from its mother too soon.

Breeders are often faced with ethical dilemmas just from the nature of what they do, but some do try their best to run an honest business. Still, knowing which breeders to trust goes a long way in making sure your experience goes smoothly.

The Michigan AG lists a few red flags to look for no matter which way you look to buy your holiday pet.

• Pets advertised for suspiciously low prices, or "just pay shipping" deals
• Sellers who require untraceable and non-refundable deposits
• Sellers who threaten abuse or neglect for non-payment
• Sellers who impose surprise fees such as sudden medical attention or sudden problems with transportation or shipping.

It's wise to keep in mind that you should never purchase from a seller who will sell a pet without meeting you or allowing you to meet the pet. Scammers aren't above selling you an animal that legitimately doesn't exist.

You should also avoid sellers from other countries, especially those overseas. Any pet that is shipped to you is bound to go through unnecessary stress. It's always best to purchase a pet you can transport home yourself.

For more details, you can check out the fly from the Michigan Attorney General's office here.