Fake Facebook Pages Impersonate Metro Detroit Animal Rescue

Scammers create duplicate donation page, threatening Happy Paws Haven's lifeline

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A Metro Detroit animal rescue called Happy Paws Haven has been battling multiple fake Facebook pages impersonating their organization and soliciting donations through a fraudulent PayPal link. The scam page gained over 23,000 followers by using copied photos and videos of the rescue's animals. Happy Paws Haven has been working to get the pages taken down, warning their followers about the scam, and encouraging people to donate directly through their official channels.

Why it matters

Donation-based animal rescues like Happy Paws Haven rely heavily on the generosity of their community to care for the cats, dogs, and other pets in their foster program. Scams that impersonate these organizations and trick people into donating to fake accounts can significantly impact their ability to raise the funds needed to continue their operations and save animal lives.

The details

The fake Facebook page listed its location as Detroit and urged viewers not to scroll past pleas for donations, falsely claiming animals would be euthanized without immediate help. Not all the videos and photos were from Happy Paws Haven, but many were. The rescue reported the page repeatedly for over two months, and the scam showed signs it did not originate in the United States. The fraudulent page was finally taken down, but the connected PayPal link remained active until Friday when PayPal dismantled it after being contacted.

  • In December 2025, followers and volunteers began alerting Happy Paws Haven to the fake Facebook page.
  • Over the next two months, the rescue repeatedly reported the page.
  • On Friday, February 6, 2026, the PayPal link connected to the scam was finally dismantled.

The players

Happy Paws Haven

A foster-based, no-kill animal rescue serving Metro Detroit, with intakes in Royal Oak, Ferndale, Detroit, Madison Heights, and Birmingham.

Sydney Terenzi

The Vice President of Happy Paws Haven.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's really sad. We rely heavily on our donors and generosity that believe in our mission.”

— Sydney Terenzi, Vice President, Happy Paws Haven (clickondetroit.com)

“These scammers are getting good, like, they're getting better and better. But then, if you go deeper into that Facebook page, it does show it didn't originate in our country.”

— Sydney Terenzi, Vice President, Happy Paws Haven (clickondetroit.com)

What’s next

The folks at Happy Paws Haven said they will continue to monitor for any other impersonation attempts and work to get them taken down. They are also encouraging their community to be vigilant about verifying the legitimacy of any donation pages before contributing.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the growing sophistication of scammers who prey on the goodwill of animal lovers, underscoring the importance of verifying the authenticity of any charity or donation page before sending money. It also demonstrates the vital role that community support plays in sustaining donation-dependent animal rescues like Happy Paws Haven.