Posted on 12/20/2005 1:55:22 PM PST by Fractal Trader
Internet auctioneer eBay Inc. has canceled plans to allow live pets to be sold on its Web site after receiving thousands of angry letters from users. The San Jose-based company has long banned the sale of live animals except fish and snails, and officials said Monday they were scrapping plans to create a separate classifieds category that would feature free ads from animal shelters and paid ads from breeders.
Over the weekend, an eBay manager revealed in a posting to an online message board that the company was considering lifting the ban, prompting letters from more than 2,000 users, most of whom urged that the ban remain, said company spokesman Hani Durzy.
Users were worried the listings would encourage puppy mills, where animals are sometimes bred in unsanitary conditions, and that it would be difficult to differentiate between legitimate animal shelters and unsavory sources.
"The feedback was pretty overwhelming," Durzy said. "Farms and for-profit commercial breeders wasn't something that they wanted to see."
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Yes, Petfinder is out. Petfinder doesn't have to be the only avenue of promoting rescues.
And I agree about eBay, they wouldn't be the best venue. An animal auction community requires more attention and one on one with the users. If eBay were to have success in adding a feature like this; they would need dedicated customer service agents just for that area.
AWW!!
Abusers can be screened out and rescues and shelters can use these venues. They have successfully.
LOL!
I think you better work on your sales pitch ;~D
What a cutie! The little Siamese-marked kitten looks like he's really enjoying the attention there.
I wish my big grey fella could learn to groom other cats so nicely. He seems to always irritate the girls...he's obviously trying, but he's not doing something quite right and they sure don't like it!
He grooms them alot... sometimes they like it, and sometimes they don't and it gets kinda rough! He'll bite them and hold them down and they'll squirm like kids that don't want their hair combed and faces washed :~D
They don't know if someone is an abuser unless they have a record.
Someone who feeds them to snakes or sells to research labs or pit bull trainers are not going to be on any abuser list....
>>>>They don't know if someone is an abuser unless they have a record.
Experiences to date:
- Abusers with histories have records with state animal welfare establishments and reports made to the USDA. Those have been the easiest to track.
- Abusers that sell pets, if they state on their profile that they have a high number of these pets, they need some type of license. For example to keep this from being broad, if a seller has more than 5 dogs, some states require a kennel license. Or if they sell more than 5 animals per year, they need a USDA license. Falsifying this information on their profile and sales listing now invites multiple charges of wire fraud, breech of contract, subjects to USDA fines, animal welfare transport laws, and could be more depending on what the sales was and what state it was going to.
>>>Someone who feeds them to snakes
This is covered under the same reasoning as purchasing from a pet store. Pets are normally priced higher than animals bred for feeders. Why would someone pay $25 for a pet rabbit when they can buy in larger quantity from a meat rabbit farm? Why would someone pay $25 for a fancy rat when they can purchase white feeder rats in larger quantity? Can it happen? Well yes, but it doesn't make financial sense.
>>>sells to research labs
Well, if you breed white mice or rats, why wouldn't you sell to a research lab? Maybe a better example will help?
>>>pit bull trainers are not going to be on any abuser list....
Backyard pit bull trainers fall under the same examples as posted above about abusers. If they sell in quantity, they need some type of license.
There are many emails that go around with names/pictures of people that have falsified many things...and travel to different states for the sole purpose of buying pets. They have their own reasons why (hoarding,previous abuse, pit bull, snake food, crush films...etc)....but shelters try to spread that information around using the internet and word of mouth becuase there is NO RECORD OF THESE PEOPLE (yet) on any USDA list.
>>>There are many emails that go around with names/pictures of people that have falsified many things...and travel to different states for the sole purpose of buying pets. They have their own reasons why (hoarding,previous abuse, pit bull, snake food, crush films...etc)...
Is there anything more specific you can give me for an example? I can only speak of my personal experiences to date.
If someone falsifies a USDA license, the USDA knows. If they are falsifying a phone number, then the number won't work when called. If they are falsifying an email, then their account will never become active at any auction board.
What specifically are you speaking of?
>>>NO RECORD OF THESE PEOPLE (yet) on any USDA list.
What does this mean?
>>>>I don't know what you are talking about....I am referring to people who will bid on animals on ebay. They are not all licensed people...they are not all honest people....they will use fake names and lie to obtain live animals.
That is exactly what I responded to here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1544220/posts?page=50#50
>>>>Having people buying from the internet will attract all the pond scum since they don't have to tell the truth or deal with LIVE people.
Again, reread post 50. Maybe you didn't understand what I posted?
Related story:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1544634/posts
Breederville.com Enjoys a Successful Year with Online Animal Auctions
I think you are assuming that all abusers have records. They DO NOT.
You are not following something in post 50.
What don't you understand?
I think you are just thinking of your own web site...that only licensed (supposingly honest)people will participate. I'm thinking of EBAY....people selling and buying PETS. No license needed.....no real names needed......and no true intentions need to be stated....
EBay, or anyone else that runs an auction board does similar steps. The only way eBay could make an animal category legitimate is by taking these steps.
Now, your point is blind purchasing, no?
I'm telling you there isn't any blind purchasing, at least in the examples you gave.
Do you think they allow returns?
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