The Lake County Health Department announced a warning to residents about scammers posing as Lake County Animal Care and Control and other local organizations to take advantage of pet owners searching for lost animals.
The department said the scam targets individuals who have recently posted online about missing pets, with perpetrators falsely claiming the animal has been found and demanding money under false pretenses. Scammers may claim the pet has life-threatening injuries requiring emergency surgery or that a fee is required to retrieve it, then pressure owners by threatening euthanasia, release, or loss of custody if payment is not made immediately, according to a news release by Lake County.
Chris Hoff, Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department, addressed the issue directly. “This scam preys on people who are already vulnerable and distressed about a missing pet… Lake County Animal Care and Control will never call, text, or message you to request payment over the phone to ensure your pet’s safety,” according to a news release by Lake County.
The department advised residents to watch for several warning signs that a call or message may be a scam. These include pressure to send money quickly, reluctance or inability to provide detailed or verifiable contact information, threats involving the pet, and excuses for why the owner cannot see the animal in person. Anyone who suspects they are being targeted should verify claims by contacting the organization directly using publicly listed phone numbers from official websites rather than those provided by callers. Suspected incidents should also be reported to local police departments, according to a news release by Lake County.
The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center outline their core functions as assessing community health needs, developing policies for public health improvement, ensuring delivery of essential services, monitoring health trends, investigating risks, educating the public, building partnerships, enforcing regulations, connecting residents with care resources, supporting workforce training initiatives, evaluating program effectiveness and engaging in research efforts, according to Lake County.
