It’s becoming more and more common to buy pets online via classified ads sites. No matter if you are seeking a puppy, a kitten, a rabbit or a even a horse; the worldwide online trade of animals is booming. However, poor regulations have allowed many classified ads sites to become a haven for deception and animal suffering.
Thousands of puppies are sold via online classified ad sites. They are often bred in horrendous conditions as part of a ruthless moneymaking machine, sometimes referred to as “the puppy mafia.”
The market leader in the classifieds industry is eBay, which operates classified ad sites around the globe. People can sell anonymously on eBay’s classified ad sites, such as Gumtree. eBay knows that besides responsible users, there are also a number of cruel breeders and ruthless traders using its websites to conduct their business – but it is not doing enough to deal with the problem.
The anonymous online puppy trade must stop!
Mandatory seller identity verification would require sellers to provide a form of identification before they can advertise animals for sale — effectively stopping anonymous, untraceable sales!
So far eBay has failed to take part in any meaningful discussions with FOUR PAWS. Help push them into action! Join us in calling on eBay to implement seller identify verification for animal sales and FOUR PAWS recommended animal welfare standards on all its classified ad sites.
Featured image: Dogs huddled together in their cage at a puppy mill before they were rescued. Ebay’s classified sites allows puppy mill owners and irresponsible breeders to profit off of exploiting and abusing dogs like these. Image credit Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals with the Montreal SPCA.
