Self-proclaimed rescues turning charity into money making schemes.

8
1407
Spread the love

There have been many self-proclaimed rescues turning what should be a charitable cause into a get-rich-quick scheme.

These are not rescues by the normal definition but entrepreneurs finding this is a much quicker way to gain cash by preying on an animal loving, compassionate public.

Who wouldn’t want to donate to help save an injured or maimed animal or one that is euth-listed at a county shelter?  People dig deep when it comes to helping animals and children and these schemers know it and take full advantage.

Fake rescue groups are a danger to the welfare of many abandoned animals. Sadly, there has been an upsurge in investigations of “self-proclaimed rescues.” These rescues are often charged with hoarding, unacceptable living conditions, neglect, abuse, and embezzlement.

The true tragedy for the animals who end up at these self-proclaimed rescues is they often suffer more there than they did at the shelters or even being homeless. And the other tragedy is the people who naively donate money and supplies to these fake rescues are unwittingly allowing the abuse and neglect to continue, believing the animals are in a loving, nurturing, healthy environment.

Would a thinking person trust any of these people to be the caretakers of animals or trust them with large sums of money coming in from donors? I think not.

There are way too many supposed “rescues” making money off the backs of the animals they should be helping.

They are taking money from compassionate, generous donors and using a large part to line their own pockets.

Before using, adopting from, or sending money to any animal rescue, do your homework, look up all public records on them from the local animal control offices and humane societies to the local police or sheriff.

And always ask to go on the property to see the conditions the animals are living in. Any rescue that does not allow people on the property is not legit and is hiding something.

If you pledge for a dog to be pulled from a shelter demand follow ups, photos, medical records, training bills etc.  If they can’t supply them then they are not a legitimate rescue and need to be reported.

 Query their financial records and tax statements from https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/.  You can also search on the IRS. You have a right to see where the money you are sending in is going to.

If these fake rescues are not stopped and their money making schemes continue, the lives of many animals that could have been saved are destined to be lost.


Spread the love

8 COMMENTS

  1. These kind of stories just piss me off. I hate these scammers using animals to make money. For 13 years I’ve struggled to care for cats throw away here in the country. My GF down the road too. It’s hard to get help because of people like this. I’ve seen people on FB begging for money for their 501C3 and then you see them on vacation in Italy etc and then their arrested for animals abuse. I had a cat who desperately needed her eye removed so I started a Go fund me asking for just $125.00 for the vet bill. Not one person donated and I even posted her video to show her poor eyes. I finally found a vet who did it for $50 bucks because they got their first laser and needed to learn to use it. I don’t bother asking for help any more.

    • Tamara, you won’t like 100+ Abandoned dogs of the Everglades in Florida because that’s exactly what they will do with your donations-go on vacation. They’ve been caught by the Florida Dept of Agriculture. They are scammers always asking for donations. Amy and Carol run it. Beware.

  2. Thank you, Pet Rescue Report. As a private investigator that spends majority of my own time & dime investigating animal rescue organizations throughout the country, we are seeing more and more unscrupulous individuals posing as a non profit.
    I have a question for the IRS, the government agency that approves these characters in obtaining a 501c3 non profit status, they are also the ones that can revoke the status. My question is, “Do they actually do a deep dive into these individuals backgrounds that are applying for this TAX EXEMPT status?” My guess is NO!
    Too many of these fly by nights have a long rap sheet which consists of domestic violence, federal liens, judgements, and or evictions. Not to mention felonies, DUI’s on their record. Sorry, that is not an upstanding citizen that I would give $5 dollars to. Keep in mind, the research that I have done, these individuals DO NOT WORK. Most likely they are living off of your donations.
    Please read this article. The author gives some excellent pointers. Be WISE, General Public. Too many phonies out there. Use caution before you hand over your hard earned money to these fly by nights.

    Regards,
    Darcy Butkus
    Licensed Private Investigator #PDE051724
    Inspector Bark Detective Agency #PDC002887
    State of Georgia.
    Feel free to email me at [email protected]

  3. Thank you for sharing this very revealing and disturbing information. These so-called rescues aren’t that at all; they are illegal businesses. How many animals have suffered because of their greed? I’m not a proponent of government overreach, but in the case of our animals, we do need some country-wide regulations to protect them. Unfortunately, there are many shelters throughout the US who are just as egregious; as well as several animal organizations whose agendas do not benefit the animals.

    It is time for those who care about animals to step up, unite and take action to provide the protection they need. A well crafted petition would be a good start.

  4. Not surprising at all. Rosa Fond has been doing this for awhile. Glad she got caught. Next step, report to the Florida Dept of Ag and the IRS. She and her husband both do not work. Made $92,000 in donations and paid themselves and others $70,000. Con artists!

    • Hi Madeleine, do you have any information on Rosa? My wife and I had trusted her and sent her donations to rescue/place several dogs but got suspicious when she wouldn’t let us see the animals we had sponsored while on a trip to Florida.

  5. My boss was stealing from the company by writing herself checks to an LLC she started with the same name as a reputable company. I reported the fraud when I saw she had that company registered at her home and had no reason for that other than to divert money from the company. She fired me and then she herself got fired for doing shady stuff with company money. Now, her job is the co-owner of a pet rescue with a nice name. I bet she targets elderly and generous people for donations, then puts the checks in her pocket. Nobody investigates their finances for fraud, and they make their paperwork look legitimate, so what you see in the propublica non profit financial filings are purposely created papers, but the money will find a way to go into their pocket. I did a job next to an office where a pet rescue operated and I was told they were making millions and were literally swimming in money.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here