ohmidog!

It’s not exactly a new problem, just one that has been given a sexier name, but indications are that “dog flipping” may be on the rise.

As with house flipping, it’s all about the profit — immoral sleazebags respond to ads placed by people looking to re-home a pet, pretend that they are going to give it a loving home, and then turn around and sell it.

“You might think you are giving your dog to a loving home, but it is going to be warehoused with up to eight to 10 other dogs in tiny apartments and sold to the highest bidder,” animal rescuer Sarah Clinton told WMC-TV.

Dog flippers usually target websites like Craigslist — both to procure dogs and to sell them.

Falling victim to it led one couple in Ohio to start a Facebook page after their dog was flipped.

Amy Cannon was trying to find homes for nine puppies. After she advertised her puppies, free to good homes, one family took two of them, including one named “Frankie.”

Not much later, she saw an ad on Craigslist that read, “My husband and I are selling our dog Frankie. We just moved and now don’t have enough yard for him to play.” Attached to the post was a picture of her dog Frankie.

Cannon confronted the person who had Frankie, who said he was selling the dog because he needed grocery money. Cannon bought Frankie back for $70.

Experts said charging a fee for your dog is one deterrent for dog flipping.

“It cuts down on their profit and maybe they will overlook that pet and look for some easy money some other way,” said Clinton.

Even more important might be building a relationship with the potential adopters, or even asking to visit their home.

“It’s beyond our realm of thinking that anybody would look at a companion animal and see it as a means to turn a quick buck,” said Clinton.

But they do. The practice isn’t illegal, just revolting.

Last year, Gene Baierschmidt, executive director of the Humane Society of Utah, denounced the practice, which he said appeared to be on the rise.

“Flipping a house for profit is one thing. Flipping an animal is inhumane,” he said. “Cats and dogs are not inanimate objects and should not be viewed as commodities. They are living creatures who feel fear and pain.”

In addition to being unethical, “flipping animals is stressful on pets, and could put them in danger because people can’t ensure that the pets will be placed in a safe environment. Shelters have protocols to ensure that animals are placed in a safe and loving home.”