LA Area Pet Owners Targeted By Impersonation Scam, County Animal Care and Control Says

LOS ANGELES COUNTY — A warning has been issued to pet owners in Los Angeles County after a recent incident where a person impersonated an animal control officer.

A pet owner who had been searching for their missing dog received a call from someone claiming to be a Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) officer.

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The impersonator falsely stated the dog was severely injured, required immediate surgery, and demanded payment to initiate lifesaving procedures.

Alarmingly, the dog owner was led to believe that their pet was in urgent need of care.

After arriving at the Carson/Gardena ACC, staff verified that the pet was not in DACC’s care. The staff advised the owner to have the impersonator meet them at the ACC, but the call with the impersonator was then disconnected.

DACC has said that its staff will never ask for payment over the phone and that anyone missing a pet should take the following steps:

1. Visit the DACC Website: Check the DACC website to see if the pet has been reported found: https://animalcare.lacounty.gov.
2. Visit the Animal Care Center: Go to the Animal Care & Control during regular business hours, Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., to search for the missing pet.
3. Microchip and register your pet: Make sure your pet is microchipped and registered with your contact information. Animal Control can scan animals for microchips. If the person claiming to be with Animal Control can’t do that or provide a pet’s microchip number, they're likely not legitimate.

“If you are missing a pet, please take the necessary steps to verify its safety through official channels,” County Animal Care and Control Director Marcia Mayeda said. “We want to ensure that everyone is aware of the proper procedures to avoid falling victim to scams.”