diff --git a/app/controllers/pets_controller.rb b/app/controllers/pets_controller.rb
index e66a7a91..5b3383fe 100644
--- a/app/controllers/pets_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/pets_controller.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 class PetsController < ApplicationController
-  rescue_from Pet::PetNotFound, :with => :pet_not_found
-  rescue_from PetType::DownloadError, SwfAsset::DownloadError, :with => :asset_download_error
-  rescue_from Pet::DownloadError, :with => :pet_download_error
+  rescue_from Pet::PetNotFound, with: :pet_not_found
+  rescue_from PetType::DownloadError, SwfAsset::DownloadError, with: :asset_download_error
+  rescue_from Pet::DownloadError, with: :pet_download_error
+  rescue_from Pet::AltStyleNotSupportedYet, with: :alt_style_not_supported_yet
 
   def load
     return modeling_disabled unless user_signed_in? && current_user.admin?
@@ -81,4 +82,12 @@ class PetsController < ApplicationController
     pet_load_error long_message: t('pets.load.modeling_disabled'),
       status: :forbidden
   end
+
+  def alt_style_not_supported_yet
+    pet_load_error(
+      long_message: "This pet is using the new Alt Styles feature, which " +
+        "we're still working on. Thank you for trying, we'll be ready soon!!",
+      status: :bad_request,
+    )
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/pet.rb b/app/models/pet.rb
index 4c2208f1..13530018 100644
--- a/app/models/pet.rb
+++ b/app/models/pet.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ class Pet < ApplicationRecord
 
     pet_data = viewer_data[:custom_pet]
 
+    if pet_data[:alt_style]
+      raise AltStyleNotSupportedYet
+    end
+
     self.pet_type = PetType.find_or_initialize_by(
       species_id: pet_data[:species_id].to_i,
       color_id: pet_data[:color_id].to_i
@@ -117,7 +121,8 @@ class Pet < ApplicationRecord
     HashWithIndifferentAccess.new(envelope.messages[0].data.body)
   end
 
-  class PetNotFound < Exception;end
-  class DownloadError < Exception;end
+  class PetNotFound < RuntimeError;end
+  class DownloadError < RuntimeError;end
+  class AltStyleNotSupportedYet < RuntimeError;end
 end