RACINE, Wis. — A woman who helps reunite lost pets with their owners is warning the community about a new scam that preys on people's desire to help animals in distress.
Jamie Dupas, co-founder of Haven of Hope Lost Animal Locators, recently found herself targeted by someone who fabricated a story about a missing dog. The experience has left her concerned that others might fall victim to similar schemes.
"It's probably the most rewarding feeling in the world," Dupas said about successfully reuniting pets with their owners. "Just seeing that makes me emotional, just talking about it."
Haven of Hope provides their search services free of charge, helping countless families reconnect with their beloved pets. The organization purchases all of its own equipment and supplies to track down missing pets of all kind.
When someone reaches out about a missing animal, Dupas and her team spring into action immediately.
Watch: Racine Co. pet recovery specialist warns of new scam targeting animal lovers
"One of the best things that you can do when an animal goes missing is go out and look right away," Dupas said.
That urgency is what led Dupas to respond quickly when someone identifying themselves as "Jen" contacted her organization about a dog named "Cooper" that had allegedly gone missing and was last seen near Racine's Lincoln Park.
Jen appeared knowledgeable about the area, providing specific details that made the story seem legitimate.
"They knew roads, they knew the park. They knew how the park was set up. Everything in the park, the baseball field, the water treatment area," Dupas said.
The search expanded as 'Jen' had also been sharing a missing dog poster on social media before contacting Haven of Hope.
"Other community members were commenting and saying that they were out looking and they couldn't see," Dupas said.
After hours of extensive searching with no results, and when 'Jen' became increasingly difficult to reach, Dupas grew suspicious.
"Something just wasn't sitting right with me," she said.
Following her instincts, Dupas investigated further and discovered that the profile photos and the dog's image were all stock photos. Any phone calls were unanswered. She took her findings to the Caledonia Police Department the next day, who confirmed her suspicions – it was all a scam.
"It was anger, and just sick to my stomach," Dupas said.
Dupas believes the scammer may have been attempting to lure her away from her home while she was searching, noting, "They knew stuff that they shouldn't have known."
With recent flooding in the area potentially leading to more missing pets, Dupas feels it's important to share her experience.
"This is definitely something new that I think people need to be aware of, especially with the flooding and animals missing," Dupas said.
If you see a missing pet poster and want to help, Dupas recommends calling the listed number first to verify the situation before taking action and checking to see if they are working with a reputable rescue.
If you need help finding a missing pet of any kind in Southeastern Wisconsin, you can reach out to Haven of Hope at 262-260-9023 or email havenofhopeal@gmail.com.
This story was reported by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.