Blue Cross blog

It’s so easy to buy online that people are now turning to the internet to purchase their new pet. However, we urge people to think twice. The Blue Cross has been working as part of the Pet Advertising Advisory Group to look at some of the problems suffered by pets bought from unregulated websites… 

With clothes, gifts and groceries so easy to buy online, it’s no wonder that people are turning to the internet to search for pets needing homes.

But our rehoming centres are getting calls from people who want to give up their new pet after buying them online when they realise they’re not quite getting what they thought they were.

Some of the animals are suffering from behavioural and health problems, while others simply don’t match the description they were given.

Our hospitals also see animals coming in which have been bought from the internet and which are then discovered to be sick and in need of treatment.

Wrong information

One Blue Cross client was told a dog he bought from a website last summer was a great Dane/Labrador crossbreed.

However, as it grew, it became clear to Blue Cross staff that the dog was a bull breed, with some characteristics of an illegal pit bull type.

The owner has now been warned that the dog is at risk of being seized by police as a ‘dangerous dog’ and it could even be put to sleep.

Another couple bought what they were told was a pedigree kitten for £200 and within 24 hours the kitten fell very ill and eventually passed a pink water balloon.

Often there is no way of contacting the seller after buying the animal and no recourse for the buyer, as was the case in this example.

Advice

We’d urge anyone looking for a pet to go to a trusted source like a rescue centre or a reputable breeder. 

But if you must look online, start with genuine rescue websites and avoid ads with limited information or contact details.

Steve Goody, director of external affairs at The Blue Cross, says: “Online buyers often have no idea of the animal’s history, or even a guarantee that the animal is what the seller claims it is.

“There is often limited information given about the animal and we’ve seen cases where new owners have even put themselves in danger by taking on an animal suffering from severe behavioural problems.

“Combine this uncertainty with the tendency to impulse buy online and it means more pets are being given up or abandoned, with charities like The Blue Cross left to pick up the pieces.”

Taking steps

We’ve met with Gumtree, one of the biggest websites which sell pets online, to discuss our research. 

While Gumtree does offer some guidelines for sellers and will remove ads if concerns are reported, the vast majority of entries are un-moderated. 

We have made several recommendations to help them improve their self-regulation, services to customers and to spot rogue traders.