Most people arrive here for one reason: they’ve found a puppy, kitten, bird, reptile or small mammal online and want to know whether it’s safe to go ahead. The risk isn’t just losing money to a scam. It’s also ending up with an unwell animal, supporting poor breeding, or discovering the “pet” in the ad doesn’t exist at all.
Buying online can work, but only when you slow the process down and insist on proof, identity checks, and an in-person visit before payment. The notes below focus on practical checks: what a good listing looks like, how to screen sellers, what to do about transport, and where the legal and welfare tripwires usually sit in Australia.
The pros and cons of buying a pet online
Online listings make it easier to compare breeds, ages, and locations, and they can be a useful first step for finding responsible breeders and rescue groups. The internet is also where many scams and irresponsible sellers operate, because it’s easy to appear legitimate for long enough to take a deposit.
The biggest downside is simple: you can’t accurately judge health, behaviour, or living conditions from photos. Even an honest seller can miss early signs of illness, and a dishonest one can hide them. The safest approach is to treat online browsing as a way to find a pet, not a way to buy blind.4, 5
Start with this baseline: don’t buy sight unseen
If a seller won’t let you meet the animal where it’s being kept, that’s not a small inconvenience. It’s information being withheld. Seeing the pet in person lets you check their condition, watch how they move and breathe, and see whether the place they’re raised in looks clean, roomy, and calm.4, 5
For puppies and kittens, age matters. A common red flag in online ads is “ready at six weeks”. Reputable sellers don’t rehome that early; waiting until at least eight weeks is widely recommended to support weaning and early development.4, 5
How to research reputable online pet sellers
There isn’t one perfect checklist that fits every state and territory, but reputable sellers tend to look the same in practice: easy to identify, easy to contact, consistent, and not in a hurry.
Quick credibility checks
- Identity and traceability: a real name, a verifiable phone number, and a physical address you can visit (not “meet in a carpark”).4, 5
- Breeder identification (where required): in NSW, a breeder identification number is part of the official advice for checking legitimacy, and it has become mandatory for breeders from 1 December 2025.2
- Paperwork they can actually show you: microchip details, vaccination records, parasite control history, and (for some breeds) evidence of relevant genetic testing, not vague claims.4, 5
- Consumer guarantees still apply: pets sold by a business come with consumer rights, and state consumer agencies publish guidance on what to do if something goes wrong (including when you’ve found the animal online).1, 2
Questions worth asking (and expecting clear answers to)
- How old is the animal, and what date of birth is on their records?
- Can I meet the mother (and, if possible, the father) where the litter was raised?
- What vaccinations have been given, on what dates, and by which clinic?
- What have they been eating, and what routine are they used to?
- What support do you offer if the animal is unwell shortly after purchase?
If you feel pushed to pay quickly, treat that as data. Responsible sellers usually ask you plenty of questions too.4, 5
What to look for in an online pet ad or listing
A good listing reads like a record, not a lure. It should stand up to slow scrutiny.
Green flags
- Clear age and rehoming date (not “ready now” with no details).
- Microchip information and vaccination status stated plainly, with an offer to show documents.
- Multiple photos and/or video that are consistent (same environment, same animal, normal lighting).
- A willingness to arrange an in-person visit before money changes hands.4, 5
Red flags that often point to scams or poor welfare
- “Delivery can be arranged” offered as the default, especially interstate, without meeting first.4, 5
- Pressure to pay by bank transfer or money transfer, or requests for extra “shipping/crate/insurance” payments.6, 7
- A price that’s far below normal for a high-demand breed (“too good to be true” is often exactly that).6, 7
- Stories about being overseas or “moving suddenly”, paired with urgency and payment demands.3, 6
The importance of seeing the pet in person before buying
Meeting the animal is about more than making sure they’re real. It’s a chance to watch for obvious signs of illness (dull coat, heavy discharge from eyes or nose, persistent coughing, diarrhoea, unusual lethargy) and to see whether the space they’re living in looks safe and clean.4, 5
It also helps you judge whether the pet suits your household. That’s not about “personality tests”. It’s about observing what’s in front of you: energy level, handling tolerance, and how the animal settles after a few minutes in a familiar space.
Tips for avoiding scams and unethical sellers
Pet scams often follow a familiar pattern: a convincing ad, a believable story, then a request for payment before you’ve met the animal. Once money is sent via hard-to-reverse methods, it can be difficult to recover.3, 6
Practical ways to protect yourself
- Insist on meeting first (and ideally seeing the mother and the environment for puppies/kittens).4, 5
- Be cautious with deposits, especially “non-refundable” deposits demanded early in the conversation.4
- Slow down if “transport fees” appear. This is a common scam lever: pay for delivery, then pay again for “insurance”, “crate”, or “customs/quarantine”.3, 6
- Search the exact wording of the ad. Reused scam text often shows up elsewhere.3
- Keep screenshots of the listing and messages if you suspect fraud, and report it through Scamwatch.3
Understanding the legal and ethical implications of buying a pet online
Australia doesn’t have one single national rulebook for selling pets. Requirements vary by state, territory, and council, and they can differ again depending on whether the seller is a business, a registered breeder, or a private rehoming.
Two points are consistent across reputable guidance:
- Consumer rights can apply when you buy from a business, including if the animal is sold with significant undisclosed health issues. State consumer agencies publish guidance on rights and next steps.1, 2
- Welfare matters at the point of sale. If buying sight unseen normalises poor breeding and poor handling, the harm doesn’t stop at one transaction. That’s why major animal welfare organisations strongly discourage buying without meeting first.4, 5
The benefits and drawbacks of adopting from a shelter versus buying online
Adoption through shelters and established rescue groups usually gives you more transparency: you meet the animal, staff can tell you what they’ve observed, and many animals are already desexed, vaccinated, and microchipped as part of the process. You also have somewhere to call if early settling-in problems appear.
Buying online can sometimes be the route to a specific breed or age, but it places more responsibility on you to verify identity, welfare standards, and the reality behind the listing. If you do use online listings, it’s safest to treat them as introductions, not as a checkout page.5
Transport and delivery: handling the logistics safely
Long-distance transport is stressful for many animals, and it can hide problems until the pet arrives. If a seller suggests delivery as the default, pause and reassess. Responsible breeders and rescue groups generally want to meet you and see that the match is suitable before the animal leaves their care.4, 5
If transport is genuinely necessary
- Ask who is transporting the animal, how long the trip will take, and what happens if there are delays.
- Get written confirmation of the animal’s microchip number and vet records before travel.
- Plan a vet visit soon after arrival, even if the animal appears well.
A note on “overseas delivery” claims
Scammers sometimes claim an animal can be shipped from overseas quickly. In reality, importing cats and dogs into Australia is a regulated process that typically requires substantial lead time (often months) and post-entry quarantine arrangements through the Australian Government system.3, 8
Final thoughts
The quiet test of a safe online pet purchase is whether it still feels safe when you remove urgency. A legitimate seller can wait for you to visit, to check records, to ask awkward questions, and to think overnight. A scam can’t.
Use online ads to widen your search, then bring the decision back to real life: meet the animal, confirm identity, check documents, and only then talk money.
References
- Western Australia Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety – A guide to consumer rights when buying a pet
- NSW Government – Buying a pet (consumer rights and tips to avoid online pet scams)
- Scamwatch (ACCC) – Puppy love and the fake classified ad
- RSPCA Australia – Four red flags to watch for when looking for a pet online
- RSPCA Knowledgebase – Red flags when looking for a dog or cat online
- Scamwatch (ACCC) – Pause to avoid a puppy scam
- Scamwatch (ACCC) – Pedigree pups at prices too good to be true
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Import permits for cats and dogs coming to Australia
Veterinary Advisor, Veterinarian London Area, United Kingdom