Animal activists urge eBay Classifieds to shut down live animal sales; take stand against animal cruelty

SAN JOSE, CA – More than 100,000 people have joined a campaign calling on eBay, the world’s leading e-commerce company, to shut down its live animal listings and take a stand against puppy mills.

The San Jose, California-based eBay corporation is under fire from animal advocates upset by the sale of ‘puppy mill dogs’ on eBay Classifieds. Puppy mills are commercial breeders who mass-produce animals under inhumane conditions, resulting in heath and behavior problems that buyers often don’t discover until after they’ve taken their new pet home.

eBay does not allow animal listings on the company’s auction site, but such listings are still allowed and promoted on eBay Classifieds. Six months ago, Felissa Elfenbein of the Two Little Cavaliers blog urged animal lovers to contact the company, leading to a grassroots campaign on Change.org asking eBay to stop selling live animals on all of its sites. Half a year later more than 100,000 people have joined the petition drive.

“The dedication of the online community to protecting animals and pet owners is incredible,” said petition author Stephanie Feldstein. “With the widespread support of this Change.org petition, animal lovers all over the world have made it clear that they want to see eBay Classifieds end its live animal sales.”

Animal activists argue that it’s impossible for eBay to monitor the health or welfare of animals listed on its site, and believe the only way for the company to stop supporting animal cruelty is by shutting down its pet listings or expanding its partnership with Petfinder.com to allow adoption listings only.

The Change.org petition calls on eBay Classifieds to end its live animal listings out of concern that the site is providing a marketplace for puppy mills and unethical breeders to deceive consumers. Internet anonymity, like that provided by eBay, makes it difficult to hold the people responsible for these abuses accountable.

Although eBay Classifieds’ policy does not allow breeders with “a history of non-compliance inspections with the USDA” to list on their site, there is a loophole in federal law that allows kennels selling directly to consumers via online or classified ads to bypass USDA oversight. As a result, conscientious consumers are misled into believing that sellers on eBay Classifieds have been subject to inspections to ensure that their animals are treated humanely.

“eBay is putting pets and consumers at risk,” said Feldstein. “eBay listened to the community’s concerns when it did not allow animals to be part of their online auctions, but with eBay Classifieds, they’ve left the back door open for puppy mills and unethical breeders to find unsuspecting customers on their site.”

Several years ago, eBay considered the creation of a live animals auction category. Following protests from animal activists against allowing unscrupulous breeders on the site, eBay decided to maintain its policy against live animal listings. eBay Classifieds gives those same unethical breeders a marketplace.

In April, eBay amended its policy to prohibit the sale of pets on its Korean website, Auction.co.kr, stating that “eBay is committed to being socially responsible and we take the concerns of our global user community seriously.”

View live signature totals on the campaign asking eBay to stop selling live animals:
http://www.change.org/petitions/ebay-classifieds-stop-selling-live-animals

Article from the World Society for the Protection of Animals on new Auction.co.kr policy:
http://www.wspa-usa.org/latestnews/2011/EBayProhibitPetSalesKoreanWebsite.aspx

Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 400,000 new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country.