Classified Pets For Sale - Not Good For The Animals!

PoundAd has adopted a "no pet classified" policy and here is why.....

Websites and newspapers often include a “pets for sale” section in all good faith that people will be offering friendly, healthy pets to end up in caring, loving homes. But in far too many cases this isn’t what happens.

Advertising pets for re-homing in classified ads can result in a number of problems:

• Kittens/puppies being given away or sold with no home-checks done for suitability.
• No checks to ensure that the animal is neutered (thereby adding to the already massive stray population).
• Animals with health or behavioural problems being “offloaded” to unsuspecting buyers.
• Buyers may take on animals on a whim and dump them later.
• Website advertisements attract interest country-wide, and this often results in animals being subjected to long distance travel between seller and buyer.
• Classified ads are often used by unregistered or ‘backyard’ breeders, where little or no care is given to the health or welfare of the animals.

What also happens is that people sell kittens or puppies too soon after birth, which can lead to health or behavioural problems, and sometimes death. Some sellers may not be aware that taking the youngsters away from their mother too soon means that they will not be properly weaned, which can cause health and/or behavioural problems. Kittens should stay with their mother until they are at least 8 weeks old, and ideally they should not be removed from mum until they are between 10 and 12 weeks old. We have heard of cases where kittens or pups have been taken from their mum far too young to be sold on and have died as a result.

Unfortunately the above scenarios are far too common, and often result in a rescue centre being called in after things have gone wrong.

One last word of advice...

BUYERS: Please don’t be tempted to buy animals from classified ads on the web or in newspapers as this just perpetuates the trade. Instead go to your local rescue centre, where you will get a vet-checked, de-flead, de-wormed animal, and advice and back-up should anything go wrong. By taking on a rescued animal you save a life - by freeing up that place for the next unwanted animal.

SELLERS: If you need to re-home an animal, please don’t take the risk of advertising them on the web or in a newspaper – you have no idea where they will end up or how they will be treated. The best way to ensure that your animal ends up in loving, caring home is to go through one of your local rescue centres, who do their best to ensure their animals go a suitable home, either by carrying out a home-visit or by a thorough interview process – some rescues do both.

Endorsed by Catchat.org

For Cat Rescue Shelters across the UK see www.catchat.org
For Dog Rescue Shelters across the UK see www.dogpages.org.uk