E-bay might not allow the sale of live animals through their auction section but they do allow the sale of live animals through their Classified Section. Either way this is not ok. It was my understanding that E-bay would not allow the sale of any live animal on their site PERIOD. The fact that they are trying to get around this by allowing them to be listed in their classified section shows that they were trying to get around the complaints they have received from animals being sold auction style. They know that those of us who care about animals wouldn't find when we go to their site looking for different things for our animals or collectibles with our animals on them (plates, stuffed toys, paintings etc) because it wouldn't come up in our searches. Well the game is over and it is time to end the selling of Live Animals on your site for good.
Here is what E-Bay has to say about why they allow the Live Animal Classified Ads:
Free online classified ads have made it easier for animal lovers to find their perfect pet from local households, rescue shelters, and breeders. Wow really? So now because people can find pets online E-bay has decided that they need a piece of the action as well? I don't think so. They claim to have safe-guards in place to ensure the safety and well-being of the animals for sale but that is absolutely impossible. We all know it, they know it, and the people selling their animals this way know it as well. You can find everything from Mastiffs to Chihuahuas for sale on the site and everything in between there is no way E-bay can ensure the health and safety of all the animals listed. (I just did a search for dogs but there are cats for sale and a slew of other animals.)
They claim to safe guard the puppies and make sure they are not taken from their mothers too early. So E-bay you are visiting all these puppy sellers to make sure no puppies are sold and leave their mothers before 8 - 12 weeks old or are you leaving that to the discretion of the sellers? Are you making sure the sellers are socializing the puppies before they are sold or are you making sure the buyers meet the sellers before a transaction takes place. Or maybe you check in on the sellers at their homes and places of business on a yearly basis to make sure things are sanitary, the animals in their care of healthy and fit, and they can clearly identify each of their animals through MicroChip or tattoo to prove the age and name of each animal.
E-bay has the audacity to say that buyers need to know what they are purchasing. If they are purchasing their animal through E-bay they are not educated consumers who know what to look for in the first place. Its like having one of your sellers claim they are selling authentic Fabergé Tsar Imperial Easter eggs. Most people wouldn't know what to look for in terms of authenticity and those that do wouldn't buy it off of E-bay they would go to a Christie's or Sotheby's auction where they were authenticated and all the proper paperwork was produced to prove they are genuine. Same thing here. People who are educated about how to find a healthy puppy would never look at your site to find one they would think like I do that is is unacceptable that you are allowing this to occur.
By allowing the selling of live Animals on your site whether via auction which is despicable or through classified which is only a slight step up from there you are risking the lives and health of all the animals sold. Your rules say no Puppy Mills, puppy stores, middle men, or people selling the for the breeder do you really think these unethical people follow your rules or any rules in the first place?
NONE of the animals being sold on your site are being bred by Ethical Responsible Breeders who are making sure to have their breeding dogs tested for the genetic diseases so they don't pass on truly awful but in most cases preventable diseases to the puppies which will not crop up right away but could take years to show themselves. You have people claiming they are selling AKC puppies at a premium but the puppy barely looks like the breed it is supposed to represent. You cannot and do not have the manpower to make sure people selling live animals are doing the right thing.
Who is going to be there for the 5 year old dog who can't walk because its dysplasia is so bad it cries when it walks, or the 6 month old puppy that went blind. Who is going to be there when that puppy arrives at its new home with a tummy full of parasites or with a full blown case of distemper and now the entire family and their other pets have been exposed. What then? Will you take responsibility and pay the bills to treat the sick animals? The sellers are gone and aren't coming back because they know they sold sick animals. Or their accounts have been inactive for 3 years and now the buyer says the animal is sick with something that could have been prevented.
Help me get the point across to E-bay to shut down the sale of Live Animals on their site.
Write a blog post and link up to show we have a strong voice and we will not allow it.
Write a tweet to tell E-bay it is not ok.
Dedicate your Facebook status to pass along the message to your friends.
If you don't have a Blog here is the mailing address for E-bay
The mailing address for e-Bay is: e-Bay, Inc, 2145 Hamilton Ave, San Jose, California 95125
Link up your post to show how loud we can be!