UPDATE: Alleged abuser arrested! re: Petition to Craigslist CEO: Stop posting "free pet" ads

[phesina]

This is a petition posted on change.org by Joyel Ennis of Boston: Tell Craigslist to stop posting ads by people wanting to give away pets and only allow registered shelters and rescues to post adoptable pets. (Craigslist already prohibits the sale of such animals.)

Here is the petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-puppy-doe-tell-craigslist-to-help-stop-violence-against-pets?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=35832&alert_id=NLtltyZdik_qacWDczpYx

Craigslist is notorious as a site where ignorant and/or uncaring people post their "Free to good homes" ads. Those ads are everywhere that Craigslist is.

As a result, it really serves as a go-to source for people who want to get animals for... "research"... or to use as bait for training their fighting dogs... or who are just inherently vicious and cruel and like to do harm to innocent and defenseless creatures..

I was glad to sign the petition. I don't know if these on-line things to sign really do much good, but I am passing on the info here in the hopes of getting the word out further and, maybe, at least beginning to get Craigslist to make some changes in their policy.

Pat


P.S., According to the petition's web page, there are already more than 120,000 signatures!!! Please circulate this information and keep 'em coming!

[Karen]

I do not think it will do any good, they will just find another venue, or folks will just dump unwanted animals - which is just as cruel. Before Craigslist, there were classified ads, same result.

[Jessika]

The problem is that craigslist has already banned the "sale" of pets on craigslist... but people just get around it by listing them for an "adoption" or "rehoming" fee... Unless they ban animals on there altogether people will just continue finding loopholes...

And honestly, craigslist is a wonderful venue to find or help rehome your pet. It's just sad that many abuse it.

I'd rather see them on CL as a "free to good home ad" then having them dumped in the woods or at the shelter...

I think a better way to spend the energy that is being put towards this petition is perhaps attempting to educate people in general why "free to good home" ads aren't a wise idea... because, let's face it, the problem isn't CL, it's uninformed/uneducated owners.

[phesina]

That's what I hope, that this might work towards educating the public to some degree, more than just getting Craigslist to change their policy. Perhaps if enough people start agitating about this, with petitions or whatever, a public conversation might begin.. and uninformed/uneducated owners would begin to learn why "Free to good home" ads are not a good idea. At this point, I'm afraid most of the conversation is among those of us who already know this, and we're just feeling bad about the situation.

With a public conversation, perhaps SOME people, only a FEW maybe? will think twice about their original plan to run a Craigslist ad or otherwise just give the animal to anyone. Maybe a FEW animals will come out better as a result.

Pat

[lizbud]

That's what I hope, that this might work towards educating the public to some degree, more than just getting Craigslist to change their policy. Perhaps if enough people start agitating about this, with petitions or whatever, a public conversation might begin.. and uninformed/uneducated owners would begin to learn why "Free to good home" ads are not a good idea. At this point, I'm afraid most of the conversation is among those of us who already know this, and we're just feeling bad about the situation.

With a public conversation, perhaps SOME people, only a FEW maybe? will think twice about their original plan to run a Craigslist ad or otherwise just give the animal to anyone. Maybe a FEW animals will come out better as a result.

Pat


This makes sense to me. As the saying goes, " better to light a candle than curse the darkness ".

[Alysser]

Best dog I ever got was a "free to good home dog", he wasn't in an ad, but I'd rather see those ads than dumped dogs and cats. If even half the dogs posted on Craigslist find a home like mine did, it is worth it.

[phesina]

Very lucky dog!

[phesina]

Quincy police charge man with 11 counts of cruelty to animals in dog abuse case:

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/quincy/2013/10/quincy_police_have_suspect_in_dog_abuse_case.html