The online trade in dogs and cats is still booming, including on eBay classifieds. The ad platform is now tightening the rules. For example, reptiles can no longer be sold and users are obliged to comply with certain requirements.
The online retailer eBay classifieds has tightened the rules for listing pets on the platforms. The company announced that no more reptiles such as snakes, turtles or lizards may be sold in classifieds in the future. Applications in the “pets” category are also prohibited with immediate effect.
Anyone who wants to place dogs and cats under the age of twelve months on the platform will need permission from the authorities in future. This permission under the Animal Welfare Act should be a prerequisite for posting the ad if users state that the dogs and cats offered are younger than twelve months. It must be proven in advance. There will be another change for ads with the price type “For free”. This has been forbidden for a long time, now the associated feature is technically removed.
Animals may not be exchanged or rented. The “Reptiles” category was removed to prevent illegal trade in protected species. “As the largest online classifieds market in Germany, we see ourselves as particularly committed to animal welfare on our platform,” explained Ebay classifieds CEO Paul Heimann.
(This article was first published on Tuesday, November 29, 2022.)
