NEW YORK – A college student who allegedly deceived pet owners by pretending to be a veterinarian was collared after authorities used an undercover kitten posing as a would-be patient.
Steven Vassall, 28, was arrested last week and charged with treating an unknown number of pets without a license, authorities said Wednesday. He was released on $2,500 bail.
Fred, a former stray kitten taken in by prosecutor Carol Moran, went undercover last week.
“He’s pretty easygoing, a real Brooklyn guy,” Moran said.
An investigator posing as Fred’s owner summoned Vassall to an apartment rigged with a hidden camera. Authorities said Vassall told an investigator the kitten could be neutered for $135.
Vassall was arrested after he left the apartment with Fred in a box and the cash.
Investigators later recovered a price list for vaccinations and other procedures, including surgeries.
It was unclear how long Vassall – a college student who once worked as a laboratory assistant in a vet’s office – allegedly scammed pet owners. A call to Vassall’s attorney was not immediately returned.
Associated Press
Fred, an 8-month-old former stray cat that was used in a sting operation, gets a lick Wednesday from Burt, a Boston terrier that fell prey to a fake veterinarian scam.
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