A Warning To Potential Pet Owners,

not only should you be careful who you buy your pet from,

you should also look at the small print if you decide to buy in installments as one family in Danielle Cittadino and her family did not when they bought Max from the Shake-A-Paw pet store, in Lynbrook, New York, a couple of years ago, the puppy cost $1,200, but the Cittadinos couldn’t afford to pay all of it upfront, so they were offered a financing option from a company called Wags Lending, they checked Danielle’s credit and after she was approved, there was lots of paperwork, which Danielle admits she didn’t go through thoroughly, She assumed that she was getting a loan, but in reality the contract specified that she wasn’t actually buying Max, but renting him until she paid all the required installments, now the company is threatening to repossess the dog, “I had no idea it was a lease,” Danielle recently told News 12 Long Island, “You know, I hear of financing, it’s a loan.”

Danielle says she made payments of $145.19 a month, on time, for 23 months, but then she learned that she had to make a final lease payment of $338.07 to finally become Max owner, She claims she didn’t know about it, and refused to make that final payment, calling it a scam, however, Wags Lending reportedly called the Cittadinos to tell them that unless they settle their debt, they will repossess their dog, “It’s wrong, you can’t rip away a dog from a family, that’s been a part of their family for two plus years,” Danielle said. “I’m sorry but you’re not getting this dog back, nor are you getting this last payment. It’s a scam!” but the sad news is that according to consumer rights attorney Anthony Ballato, it’s all a matter of buyer beware, so the next time you want to get a dog, or any pet for that matter by buying in installments, be sure to read the contract carefully and make sure you are actually buying it, not leasing it.