The popular online classified website Kijiji has launched a new initiative in an effort to curb the unethical sale of dogs.
Thousands of dogs are bought and sold every year on Kijiji, and now the company is taking steps to ensure the site remains a trustworthy place for pet owners.
Kijiji announced this week that it is now charging users $4.99 to post a dog advertisement. In most categories, users can post classified ads for free.
The fee will only be charged for dog ads, the company said on its website, because illegal pet vendors appear to be most active in this category.
“We work together with our engaged community and reputable, animal welfare agencies across Canada to prevent, detect, and discourage illegal pet vendors,” the website says.
To add an extra level of accountability, the fee will have to be paid by credit card or using a PayPal account.
Shawn McIntyre, the company’s community relations manager, said the plan has been in the works for some time.
“This came after many months of conversations with partners of ours in the animal welfare industry,” he told CTV Atlantic. “Obviously, we’ve been looking for ways to make our pets category a safer channel for users to bring home animals.”
David Ross, the chief inspector for the Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty, applauded the move.
“These are alive beings, and just for them to be sold and bought and traded away with no record… (it) is encouraging for me that somebody is actually realizing it’s not an inanimate object,” he said.
A portion of the fee will go to local animal welfare agencies across the country. Animal shelters and rescue organizations will still be able to post to Kijiji for free.
With a report by CTV Atlantic’s Jacqueline Foster
