Scammers have once again proven that some people just don’t deserve dogs.
We all fell in love with Narwhal, a puppy with a tail growing out of his face, the second his picture went online. The unique rescue puppy captured the world’s attention in a matter of days. Mac’s Mission Animal Rescue, the organization that rescued and is caring for Narwhal, was thrilled that the attention was also highlighting other rescue animals. Narwhal’s story was doing a lot of good to promote animal adoption, but then scammers got an idea. Mac’s Mission recently discovered people are trying to profit off the unicorn puppy. And they’ve already made a lot of money.
TMZ reported that a number of fake Narwhal accounts have surfaced on social media. They’re asking for donations to pay for Narwhal’s medical care. Rochelle Steffen, founder of Mac’s Mission, has reported several of these accounts in an effort to shut them down.
So far, these fake accounts have collected hundreds of dollars. They look legitimate by sharing pictures of the unicorn puppy, but the scammers behind them have no association to Mac’s Mission. They’re only interested in taking advantage of a viral story with a cute face.
While Mac’s Mission works on making the public aware of the scams and shutting them down, they want everyone to know that they’re not interested in making a profit off of Narwhal. Their only goal is to do what’s best for the rescue puppy—the same as they do for every dog in their care. They want to be clear that Narwhal is not for sale, but he will eventually be available for adoption.
Steffen reported that someone even offered to pay $7,000 for the unicorn puppy. The shelter turned them down. Mac’s Mission wants to make sure their new celebrity goes to a home that will truly love and care for him. When he’s ready to be adopted, his adoption fee will be the standard $150. Everyone interested is also required to fill out an application. Steffen knows that she and her team have a big job ahead of them. They’ll sift through applications to find an adopter that wants Narwhal for the right reasons.
If you’re interested in supporting Mac’s Mission Animal Rescue (or any other non-profit organization), do your research to make sure your money goes to the right place. Steffen said that while Narwhal’s medical bills have been covered, any donations they receive through the official donation link on their website will go toward other deserving rescue dogs.
Featured image via Facebook/Mac the Pitbull
