Though Craigslist has officially banned the sale of animals, animals are routinely sold on its platform. Farmed animals including pigs to dogs and cats to lizards and snakes continue to be advertised and purchased on Craigslist under the guise of “re-homing.”

Unscrupulous breeders, mill operators, and animal brokers are exploiting this loophole to sell critically ill animals as well as dupe families into paying for animals they never receive. Craigslist’s current policy not only leaves users at risk of purchasing unhealthy, nonexistent, or stolen companion animals — but it leaves countless other animals not classified as “pets” in danger as well.

Additionally, animal abusers often use Craigslist to find victims because unlike reputable animal shelters, people who give their animals away via online ads rarely check references or do home visits. Since there are no or only minimal adoption fees involved, “free to a good home” ads do nothing to deter someone looking to harm an animal. These ads are also an open invitation to people looking for animals to use as “bait” in dogfighting, to feed to snakes or other captive predators, or to sell to laboratories for use in cruel experiments.

Craigslist can end the exploitation of these animals by banning the transfer of all animals on its website.