Animal Lovers: Be Careful & Aware When Using Craigslist

The last time I wrote about something disturbing to me which I wanted to raise awareness about, it was a few months ago when I discovered the process used to make expensive handbags from pythons. Today I’d like to share something else with you, and this time it has to do with animals listed on Craigslist.

Chances are, if you’ve ever wanted to buy or sell something locally, you’ve checked out Craigslist (especially here in the United States). I’ve been on Craigslist a million times, but until I read this article called Craigslist’s Shady Pet Advertisers Contribute To Mass Killing Of Healthy Animals, I never noticed that Craigslist is also a place to pick up or get rid of animals.

I use the words “get rid of” because many of the people who advertise animals on there are not concerned about finding a good home for those animals. They are looking for a quick buck, or even a trade, to anyone who will respond to their ads. I want to be very clear that I understand there are reputable breeders and loving pet owners who advertise on Craigslist. All I’m saying is that if you are a pet owner who wants to find a good home for your puppy, or if you want to add a dog to your family, please be careful about using Craigslist. Also, if you see someone on Craigslist trying to trade a dog for an iPhone or for “anything” as the ad below shows, please flag the ad.

I suppose the reason why I never even noticed there are dogs on Craigslist before is because they aren’t in the “for sale” section. Technically, you can’t sell dogs there, but you can charge a rehoming fee, which in my mind is the same thing. I own three rescue dogs. One of them, Mary, sits with me everyday as I write my articles. As an animal lover, it breaks my heart to think that this is happening. Just be smart, pay attention, flag ads when necessary and be aware of what may be going on. For more information on this (and to see the statistics), you can read the original article here, another one here, a follow up here, a very interesting Yahoo thread here and sign a petition here.