This shocking advert was spotted on Gumtree on Boxing Day. Typical example of an unwanted Christmas pet. Rescue centres have also already been contacted by people wanting to dump their pets. The Christmas aftermath has only just started.
Last year between Christmas and January, the Dogs Trust alone took nearly 5000 calls from owners wanting to hand over their dog. That’s 138 calls a day! Many of them were Christmas presents.
The RSPCA also mentioned the issue during BBC One Breakfast on 21 December.
And this is what the Animal Welfare Minister David Rutley had to say during a recent visit to Battersea Cat and Dogs Home:
‘I urge anyone who is thinking of buying a puppy, or any pet, at this time of year to pause and think carefully before doing so. Pets become a part of our families and it is a decision that requires careful consideration and planning. It should not be undertaken on a whim or as a surprise. That is why we promote responsible pet ownership in our welfare codes and I urge fellow animal lovers to consider the idea of rehoming a dog from the many wonderful organisations across the country.’
Yet, the classified sites refuse to do their bit to help. Below is Preloved’s disappointing response to the petition:
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Hello Isabelle,
Many thanks for your comments.
Firstly, I do want to say that we do share your concern regarding the welfare of the animals that are sold on Preloved. We do put in a lot of work to ensure the sale of animals is handled as responsibly as possible and we believe that we go further than any other similar sites in ensuring this.
We also understand that selling animals at Christmas is a very emotive subject.
Preloved does not actually see an increase in adverts for puppies and kittens for sale at this time of year, in fact quite the opposite, adverts and responses for animals fall around the Christmas period. We also appreciate that not everyone looking for a pet in December will be giving it as a present, or buying on a whim.
With this in mind we have made the decision not to prevent animal adverts being posted at Christmas but do ensure that our animal welfare guidelines are met and that animals are not being sold at too young an age, purely so that they will be ready in time for Christmas. We also do not allow adverts whereby the animal is being promoted purely as a Christmas gift.
Regards
Peter
Preloved Classifieds
The UK's Most Trusted Marketplace
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Preloved is missing the point. Animals are more likely to be purchased on a whim and as gifts at this time of year, and whether Preloved sees an increase of adverts at Christmas is irrelevant. An advert was found on Preloved from someone who bought a pug puppy last Christmas but didn’t realise that the dog needed attention and walking therefore it didn’t suit their lifestyle.(?!) Another advert was from someone who bought a dog on a whim just before Christmas this year but then realised that she had a baby and it was too much work.
If Preloved wasn’t giving breeders a free platform to advertise pets in the first place, this could be prevented.
WHY is Preloved allowing breeders’ adverts anyway, isn't their website supposed to be for second-hand items?! Preloved, the joy of second-hand as they call it is actually a trading platform for unscrupulous breeders! When did it go wrong?
On Christmas eve, the RSPCA released this harrowing CCTV footage of a dog being discarded with this basket by the side of the road. Luckily he was rescued but it just shows how heartlessly pets can be treated in our throwaway society.
https://www.itv.com/news/central/2018-12-24/cctv-shows-dog-abandoned-at-side-of-road/
No doubt the rescue centres will be busy in the next few weeks. Classified sites need to realise they are in large part responsible for the post-Christmas pet dumping phenomenon and they need to do their best not to contribute to it in the first place. i.e. Stop the breeders' ads in the run up to Christmas!
Isabelle Rineau
BaBBA Campaign (Ban all Baby Bunny Ads)
@babbacampaign
https://www.facebook.com/BabbaCampaign