Excerpts from my recent correspondence to Scott Neil, CEO of Kijiji Canada (continues)
Me: I am very pleased to hear that you have made improvements regarding your content moderation processes to effectively intercept and remove free dog listings on your platform. To build on this progress, I propose enhancing your system with user education:
When removing listings that offer pets at no cost, consider automatically also sending users an explanation about why free pet listings are prohibited, including the documented risks to animal welfare. This educational approach could help prevent future violations while raising awareness about responsible pet placement.
“We want to assure you that when a listing is removed for offering a free dog, the poster is sent an email notifying them of the removal and the reason behind it. Our messaging states:
“Ads for dogs and/or puppies in the Pets section are not permitted to be posted for free. This decision was made after careful consultation with animal advocacy groups, in an effort to ensure the new homes of these animals are safe and responsible. We want Kijiji to be a place where one can find a new family member, and by charging a fee, you can help ensure that the home they will be going to can afford to provide for them. We understand that not everyone is comfortable selling their animals for a profit, therefore we’d like to suggest donating the proceeds to your local animal shelter or rescue instead.”
— Kijiji Canada
Me: I am also pleased to hear that you will be handling cat listing policy on your platform. What is your current timeline for implementing any changes?
“We are currently in discussions with our SPCA partners regarding our free cat policy and are awaiting their feedback before implementing any changes.”
— Kijiji Canada
Me: Regarding listings that misuse the term "purebred" in violation of the Animal Pedigree Act: What is the typical duration these non-compliant listings remain visible before removal?
To prevent future Animal Pedigree Act violations, I suggest also implementing a user notification system. When removing listings that improperly use "purebred," the system could also inform users about the Act's requirements for using this term.
“Regarding compliance with the Animal Pedigree Act, the timeline for removal of non-compliant listings can vary based on multiple factors, but they are typically addressed within 24 hours. When a listing is removed for misuse of the term "purebred," we educate the poster through an automated email, which states:
"In Canada, the Animal Pedigree Act makes it a federal offense to sell an animal as ‘purebred,’ ‘registered,’ or ‘eligible to be registered’ if it does not meet the requirements of a recognized breed association. If an animal is listed as ‘purebred,’ ‘registered,’ or ‘eligible to be registered,’ the seller must provide official documentation, such as AKC and/or CKC registration papers, within six months of the sale.”
— Kijiji Canada
Me: While you addressed my question about the Animal Pedigree Act, my question about endangered species listings remains unanswered. Given the legal precedents underscoring illegal animal sales on Kijiji, what measures do you plan to implement regarding listings that advertise species protected under the Endangered Species Act?
“Regarding the protection of endangered species, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy. Our system is designed to automatically flag and prevent listings that include keywords related to protected species. Additionally, we rely on user reports to identify and remove any listings that may have bypassed our safeguards, allowing us to continually refine and strengthen our filtering system.”
— Kijiji Canada
Me: I also have concerns about the categorization of pet listings on your platform. Your current approach is not supporting a more controlled approach to rehoming, as listings labeled as "rehoming," show clear commercial breeding indicators (multiple puppies being offered, high prices, breeding parents on site, waiting list - see attached). How do you plan to address this discrepancy to ensure transparency for consumers who specifically seek to support genuine pet rehoming situations?
“While we understand your concerns regarding the term “rehoming”, our platform does allow for rehoming from individual owners as well as breeders. We enforce our policies such as breed limits and insertion fees across all users. We also provide a separate category for registered shelters and rescues to help users find these listings. Ultimately, it is up to our users to determine what listings they are interested in based on their preferences and needs.”
— Kijiji Canada
Read also:
Part 1. My message to Scott Neil, CEO of Kijiji Canada
Part 2. Response from Kijiji Canada
Part 3. More on the correspondence between me and Kijiji Canada
Photo of classified ad by Cory Doctorow via Unsplash