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Pet owner shares warning after falling for Craigslist scam when adopting a puppy: 'Get your money back'
A woman on TikTok says she was unwittingly scammed several years ago after adopting an adorable puppy she saw on Craigslist.
In the clip, TikTok user Maggie (@maggizine) responds to another post asking users to show their Craigslist puppy then versus now. But instead of simply showing comparison photos of how her dog has grown over the years, Maggie takes viewers on a surprising journey that unfolded when she was still in college.
Six years ago, the TikToker was looking to adopt a dog when she came across an online ad for a purebred Shih Tzu. Since that was exactly what she wanted, Maggie immediately reached out and took home the tiny puppy soon after.
At the time, she says the pup was small, dark, fluffy and looked very much like what she expected a Shih Tzu to look like, so she didn’t question it. But as the puppy started growing, her features started to change.
“Then she started getting bigger and outgrowing all the things I bought for her,” Maggie shared. “And every time I asked the breeder about it, she would respond, and the percentage of Shih Tzu kept getting lower and lower.”
Initially, the breeder swore the dog was 100% purebred Shih Tzu, but later said she was only 50%. After more follow-ups, the breeder insisted that the puppy’s father was a Shih Tzu, but eventually, they stopped responding to Maggie’s emails altogether.
By then, it was clear to Maggie that what she had was probably not a Shih Tzu, but a genetic test later confirmed her suspicions: Her dog was 0%, Shih Tzu.
Instead, she turned out to be part Shepherd, chow chow, pit bull and “super mutt.” She’s also grown beyond the size that Maggie had anticipated and now weighs between 60 and 65 lbs.
In the comments, many people shook their heads at the puppy scam.
“People lie on craigslist a lot sadly,” one commenter wrote.
Another urged her to take her case to small claims court.
“Get your money back, keep the dog, and it’s a win-win,” they said.
Others pointed out that the puppy never actually looked like a true Shih Tzu, to begin with.
“As a Shihtzu mom i can tell you she never ever looked shitzu that nose is the key!” one person noted. “But I mean she is a beauty.”
Most people, however, said that, ultimately, the universe meant the dog to be Maggie’s.
“I call it a win because she is adorable!!!” one person commented.
“Okay she’s not a shi tzu, but do you love her the same??” another person asked.
It’s fair to say that Maggie loves the pup she ended up with. Even though her girl sheds, drools a lot and is “way bigger” than the TikToker initially anticipated, Maggie says she’s had her big “goob” for six years now and wouldn’t have it any other way.
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The post Pet owner shares warning after falling for Craigslist scam when adopting a puppy appeared first on In The Know.
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