@Kembe - Thanks for the update
Shame on eBay
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All we can to is share our outrage and stop supporting groups/businesses that offend us.
We can make a difference if we all voice our feelings. -
Ebay isn't selling animals. They purchased a long existing internet classifieds ads website called Kajiji.
Before anyone starts placing formal complaints to ebay think about it. How is placing an ad on the internet any different than placing an ad in a newspaper? There have always been stupid people who place stupid ads and there will always be stupid people who place stupid ads. But not all people or ads are stupid.
In my area, there are considerably more ads placed by rescue groups and shelters than by individuals. (Petfinder.com ads are cross posted at ebay classifieds also.) Kajiji was popular to begin with but being acquired by ebay should increase viewers a good bit. Many, many homeless pets get adopted through this free advertising venue. Do you really think trying to get ebay to do away with it is a good thing?
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Robyn, you make good points. eBay did not make this policy of allowing animal ads to be on the classifieds site. They just didn't do anything about the policy that was already there. I would suggest, however, that because the medium is different, eBay can and should be held responsible to different standards. We all know that a free ad on the internet means the potential user base AND audience is much, much larger. Though Kijiji classifieds mainly target localized communities, they could reach international audiences, like puppyfind or nextdaypets.com. And so at this point, I don't think eBay classifieds is any better than those sites. What makes Kijiji more dubious is the fact that it IS free, like Craigslist, and so the same "stupid people" who would place those old-fashioned newspaper ads (which, last I knew, you still had to pay for) would be led to this option as a free marketing tool, and so the goal of selling puppies for profit is that much more attainable.
My hope was that eBay would be proactive about enforcing some kind of policy on animal sales. Craigslist, for example, at least has it in their terms of use that animal sales and breeders are strictly prohibited, though rehoming with a reasonable fee is permitted. Not that this stops many, many BYB from making money at the expense of animal life. The community-regulated flagging system on Craigslist is also extremely opaque and imperfect…
Which is where I thought eBay would be different, as the entity that ultimately oversees these classifieds. If they can prohibit and monitor the sale of animals on their own auction site (not to mention other things that were deemed questionable or offensive, like used underwear or even the language used in descriptions), it seems that they can establish a set of enforceable guidelines that would limit the inhumane traffic of animals on their classifieds section. It'd be a much-appreciated statement, at leas,t that they're willing to take a more progressive stance. For example, ads might be REQUIRED to divulge full price (so that it can be better judged whether or not the rehoming fee is "reasonable", though I know the pricetag alone is not enough to go by), owner/rescue's full and registered name, whether or not parents had been screened for health issues, specifics about behavior and temperament, etc. Much like an info sheet that would be available at a shelter or through reputable rescues (which I've also seen place many ads on Kijiji, and I think should be permitted to use the resource, as it can be more searchable and functional than Petfinder at times).
Maybe a more reasonable campaign would be to put pressure on eBay to establish a clear terms of use policy that would promote the responsible rehoming of animals.
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Everyone can/should make their own decisions. I chose not to promote or support any group that doesn't treat animals the way I think they should be treated.
This started by not buying anything Almish made, because of the puppymills they have and it continues into other areas.
Everyone needs to set their own standards. -
There is no reason why EBay couldn't adopt a policy similar to Craigslist which only allows posting rescues or dogs/cats needing rehoming. There is still some abuse of this but they allow their users to report posts that are in violation of their policy and seem to do a pretty good job of following up.
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We all know that a free ad on the internet means the potential user base AND audience is much, much larger. Though Kijiji classifieds mainly target localized communities, they could reach international audiences, like puppyfind or nextdaypets.com.
I have advertised my puppies on puppyfind and so do other responsible breeders, whether or not they may have puppies available. Puppyfind is one of the largest and most promoted puppy sales places on the internet and it's exactly where the majority of novice potential puppy buyers will go to. If the only ads the potential buyer sees are those placed by BYBs and mills then that is who they will contact. If they see ads placed by responsible breeders who mention health testing etc, they will start to see a difference between different types of breeders and my go on to make informed decisions about where their next pet will come from. The same can be said for free advertising places on the internet such as ebay classifieds.
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I have advertised my puppies on puppyfind and so do other responsible breeders, whether or not they may have puppies available. Puppyfind is one of the largest and most promoted puppy sales places on the internet and it's exactly where the majority of novice potential puppy buyers will go to. If the only ads the potential buyer sees are those placed by BYBs and mills then that is who they will contact. If they see ads placed by responsible breeders who mention health testing etc, they will start to see a difference between different types of breeders and my go on to make informed decisions about where their next pet will come from. The same can be said for free advertising places on the internet such as ebay classifieds.
I see. Everyone I know of who has found their pet on puppyfind.com (primarily talking about shibas here) ended up with a less than responsible breeder, so my impression of the site was based on that. But since it varies, I shouldn't discount the site entirely.
Still, I don't think that most "novice" puppy buyers can even begin to make informed decisions unless it becomes mandatory to disclose that information (or the fact that you don't have it). Craigslist is an example that I've observed for some time. Every day, every hour, there are so many ads that simply list breed, the fact that they have PUPPIEZ!!!!111!!1, a phone number/e-mail. Not even a price. A lot of BYB and "oops" litter pet owners do this because they know they're going to get flagged, so why put much effort into the ad? And a lot of sellers never even bother to think about the answers to questions that most responsible breeders would take as second nature in the process. Yet, these puppies DO sell! Often, very quickly…
... My point is, it's within eBay's power to take an active approach and change their policies, as they did for their auction site. At the beginning, you COULD sell animals on eBay. You could get away with selling a LOT of stuff on eBay, but they cleaned things up, as it were. They can do the same for the classifieds site, now that it's theirs. For example, a seller shouldn't be able to post a pet listing unless they fill out a number of answers to questions that informed buyers should be asking. Knowing the types of questions to ask is part of what makes an informed buyer, and so the listing format itself can be instructive.
Even this forum has some basic guidelines for posting litters and puppies for sale. It's not beyond eBay's means to clearly define and moderate their online classifieds. "Free" shouldn't mean exempt from regulation. Why not hold them to higher standards than the local newspaper?
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hey guys
i make my living selling on ebay and the money i make helps to pay for the food in sebastians bowl and the roof over his head, and once hes adopted it will help pay for the next foster i take in.
so while boycotting ebay might be the first reaction you have it might be good to think twice about it?
just thought id point this out
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Better to write and protest to me than boycott.
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This online petition has gained some momentum. Perhaps it will get eBay CEOs' attention. I signed it.
http://animals.change.org/petitions/view/ebay_classifieds_stop_selling_live_animals
Here are some blog posts that give some background info:
http://www.twolittlecavaliers.com/2011/01/tell-e-bay-selling-live-animals-needs.html
http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/2011/01/18/should-e-bay-be-selling-live-pets/
http://nodogaboutit.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/is-e-bay-selling-blood-pups/ -
I won't sign it. I want Ebay classifieds to stay as it is.
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I am glad so many here are better than those posting dogs online.
Kijiji {though bought out by Ebay] still has the same policies.
I posted my mix puppies on there as I wanted to post them somewhere and had many local, Portland, inquiries on them. Since I don't use the Oregonian to place ads, this was a very easy place to post.
I found it better than CL because on CL, there are morons that have nother better to do than flag ads that should stay up to find homes for pups. -
How sad to see so many puppies for sale.
Rita Jean
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Ebay UK sites don't sell puppies, not a good way to find your pup is it
