Dear John,

As the pandemic has kept more of us home and isolated, more families and individuals are pursuing dog and cat companions. This has led to an increase in online sales by kitten and puppy mills — and increased fraud.

While Craigslist officially bans the sale of companion animals, breeders and dealers nevertheless still sell puppies, kittens, and other animals on the platform, many under the guise of “re-homing” them — which is permitted.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is urging Craigslist to protect both animals and its users by banning posts related to transfer of all animals on its platform — but we need your help.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is currently representing a group of plaintifffs who purchased sick puppies on Craigslist — including Winnie’s family. Winnie died of a preventable disease because the seller lied and had not vaccinated her. 

Frequently, unsuspecting buyers learn too late that their new companions are critically ill. Others may fall victim to scams that encourage them to pay up front for animals they never actually receive. Meanwhile, animals not typically classified as companions — such as pigs and chickens — are sold with impunity on the platform, putting them at risk of being purchased by people who intend to harm them.

Will you join me in urging Craigslist that living, feeling animals shouldn’t be traded on its platform like secondhand couches or TVs? A complete ban on animal transfers would be a major victory for animals and a milestone in the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s ongoing work to protect animals from unscrupulous breeders, mills, and dealers.

Please join me, and make your voice heard.