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AI-altered dog photos fuel online euthanasia scam targeting South Bay animal lovers
Animal lovers in the South Bay are being targeted by an online scam, which includes AI-altered images of shelter dogs, and claims that theyre about to be euthanized. San Jose Animal Care and Services says the manipulated photos posted on a Facebook page have triggered widespread confusion and hundreds of calls from concerned residents across the country.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Animal lovers in the South Bay are being targeted by an online scam, which includes artificial intelligence-altered images of shelter dogs, and claims that they're about to be euthanized.
AI images of dogs
San Jose Animal Care and Services says the manipulated photos posted on a Facebook page have triggered widespread confusion and hundreds of calls from concerned residents across the country.
Officials say the dogs featured in the posts are real, but the images and claims surrounding them are not.
"We got bombarded by just call after call after call," said Monica Wylie, director of San Jose Animal Care and Services, describing the surge of calls over the past week from people trying to save a 3-year-old Dalmatian named Pongo.
The post, shared on a Facebook page titled "Saving Shelter Dogs From Euthanasia," described the dog as being in its "final hours of mercy" and urgently needing adoption. Shelter staff quickly noticed something was wrong.
"It seemed there was something off about it," said Wylie.
Dog tears?
According to shelter spokesperson Gilbert Martinez, the image showed the dog with human-like tears, a sign that the photo had been digitally altered.
"It had tears coming out, like traditional human tears, which we know is not possible for dogs," said Martinez.
Shelter officials said Pongo had previously been at the facility but had already been adopted and was never at risk of euthanasia.
"There were no issues with the dog," said Wylie. "It wasn’t [at] risk for euthanasia. There were no behavior issues, it was healthy."
Some clarity
The shelter emphasized it does not euthanize animals due to lack of space and only considers euthanasia as a last resort for serious medical or behavioral concerns.
Despite efforts to correct misinformation online, another altered post soon appeared, this time claiming a dog named Lumi was facing euthanasia. Phone lines were again flooded with calls from concerned people nationwide.
"And from all over the country they’re coming in, basically ‘don’t kill this dog,’ and we’re not," said Wylie, adding that Lumi had also already been adopted.
In that case, officials said the photo circulating online was not even of the dog named in the post.
Shelter leaders warn the misinformation harms both animal welfare organizations and the public, raising concerns that such posts could also be used to solicit fraudulent donations.
"That misinformation is damaging," Wylie said. "It’s doing a disservice to the public and to the sheltering community."
San Jose Animal Care and Services said it has reported the Facebook page to the social media company and has heard from other shelters experiencing similar incidents.
Officials urge potential adopters to verify information directly through official shelter websites or by visiting facilities in person.
"I’d say check the shelter site," said Wylie. "And sometimes just go visit and adopt your new friend."
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