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Colorado Woman's Search For Lost Cat Turns Into Nightmare After Vicious Scam Preys On Her Hope

Dominique Norton was desperate for any news about Inky, her sweet, 2-year-old black cat who had vanished from her Aurora home. 

Dominique Norton of Colorado, holding a photo of her missing black cat Inky, warns others about a vicious pet recovery scam

For weeks, she did everything right; posting flyers, sharing photos online, keeping hope alive. Then, the call she’d been praying for finally came. It turned out to be her worst nightmare.

“He said he was from Aurora Animal Hospital,” Dominique recalled. “My heart just dropped. He told me someone had found Inky a block from our house, that she’d been hit by a car and needed emergency surgery right away.”

The caller, hiding behind a "No Caller ID" number, sounded legit. He knew details and quickly verified the last four digits of Inky’s microchip. But then the conversation took a sharp turn.

“He immediately started pushing for payment—$3,000 for surgery,” Norton said. “He was talking about ‘Animal Care Credit,’ Venmo, and PayPal, getting more and more aggressive. He said my cat would die if I didn’t pay immediately. That’s when my hope turned to panic, and then to suspicion.”

That gut feeling saved her. Dominique hung up and, with a shaking hand, called the real Aurora Animal Hospital directly.

The truth was a brutal shock. There was no Inky. No emergency surgery. No veterinarian by that name.

“It’s horrifying. They’re exploiting people at their most vulnerable,” said Dr. Dayna Willems, the real Medical Director at the hospital. “We were alerted to this scam where someone is impersonating one of our vets, cold-calling grieving pet owners and demanding thousands of dollars.”

Dr. Willems said her clinic has been flooded with similar calls from worried owners who nearly fell for the same cruel trick. She was adamant: “We would never, ever call someone and demand money through Venmo before treating an animal. Our priority is the pet, not payment.”

For Dominique, the emotional whiplash was devastating. “It feels so cruel,” she shared, the frustration clear in her voice. “I’ve been grieving for weeks, and they used that tiny shred of hope to try and rob me. What if they call someone’s elderly grandparent who doesn’t know better? They would have paid.”

The experience was a harsh lesson, but Dominique and the team at Aurora Animal Hospital are now determined to spread the word. Their advice is simple but crucial:

Stop

If a "vet" demands immediate payment via Venmo, PayPal, or gift cards, it's a scam.

Call Back

Hang up and call the animal hospital directly using a number from their official website.

Verify

Ask for the specific staff member's name and confirm they work there.

Report

Tell your local police and animal control.

“Scammers have found a new low,” Dr. Willems said. “They’re playing on the love we have for our pets.”

As for Inky, the small black cat with the gentle personality, she is still out there. Dominique hasn’t given up hope.

“Her birthday was just last week,” she said. “We just want our girl to come home. And we don’t want anyone else to go through this heartache while searching for their own.”

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