On Daisy Mae’s first birthday, Heather Fritch received an image that initially appeared to prove her missing dog had been found. Then the sender demanded $400 and failed a basic test: identifying the collar Daisy had been wearing when she disappeared.
Fritch had been visiting Fort Wayne, Indiana, from North Liberty in late August when Daisy broke free from her leash while chasing a rabbit near Eagle Marsh in southwest Allen County. Fritch and her husband later made repeated drives to Fort Wayne to search the marsh’s trails.
The loss carried added weight for Fritch, who described Daisy as her emotional support animal and said she intended the dog to help her cope with PTSD. The family distributed missing-pet flyers and shared Daisy’s photos online as the search continued.
One of those public notices led to a text from someone claiming to have Daisy. The person sent an image of a similar-looking dog and demanded $400 for her safe return.
Fritch initially believed the picture was genuine. After examining it more closely, she concluded that it had been generated or altered with artificial intelligence, though there was no independent confirmation of how it was created.
Her attempt to verify the claim was more decisive than inspecting the image. Fritch asked the sender to describe Daisy’s specific collar, a detail the person did not supply.
“Because in my state, I thought that was my dog. I just can’t believe the cruelty. And they did it on Daisy’s first birthday,” Fritch said of the demand.
How owners can test a claim
The FBI’s guidance on lost-pet scams recommends asking a claimant to show the animal in person or provide a detail that was withheld from public notices. Threats, demands for money, requests for verification codes and excuses for not providing current proof are warning signs.
The Better Business Bureau similarly advises owners to leave a unique physical attribute out of public notices. That private detail can become a verification question if someone claims to have the animal.
A new photo can help, but it should not be treated as proof by itself. The BBB’s lost-pet scam alert recommends asking for a current picture and treating defensiveness or repeated excuses as red flags.
Owners should also avoid wiring money or using prepaid debit cards to pay someone they do not know, the BBB advises. It warns that scammers may pressure owners for money or gift cards while claiming they will return a missing pet.
If a recovery meeting is arranged, a secure public location such as a police station can reduce risk. An owner who has confirmed that a pet was stolen should contact local police, according to the BBB.
Publicity remains an important search tool, but owners can limit what they disclose. Keeping one identifying feature private preserves a way to test future claims without preventing neighbors from recognizing the animal.
The physical search continues
While Fritch dealt with the $400 demand, volunteer searcher Joe Jakacky and other local residents continued looking around Eagle Marsh. Their multiple search shifts used trail cameras, thermal scopes and night-vision equipment.
Jakacky said Dupont Veterinary Clinic on Coldwater had agreed to accept Daisy without questions if someone wanted to leave her there safely. At the last stated status, volunteers were still monitoring trail cameras, Fritch was continuing her trips to Fort Wayne, and Daisy had not been reported found.
For other missing animals in Allen County, Humane Fort Wayne advises filing a lost-pet report with Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control and with Petco Love Lost. It also recommends checking that a missing pet’s microchip registration and owner contact information are current.
Fritch said she publicized the attempted scam because she was concerned that other owners could be targeted. Her experience shows why a convincing image and an urgent demand should be followed by independent verification, not immediate payment, even as the real search continues. What would you do if your dog were in this situation? Share your thoughts in the comments.
By Sarah Mitchell — 8 years as a local-news reporter covering animal welfare, shelters, neighborhood disputes, and public-safety pet stories.
