Facebook blamed for drop in rescues from Battersea
FACEBOOK is to blame for a fall in the number of responsible owners adopting pets, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has said.
The charity says more people are buying pets after spotting them on social media auction sites. The rise of unregulated online shopping for pets has sparked fears of backyard breeding and unethical treatment of cats and dogs.
Battersea says pets purchased “at the click of a mouse” are dumped at rehoming centres when new owners realise they cannot cope with the cat or dog’s needs. In 2017, Battersea rehomed eight per cent fewer dogs and 16 per cent fewer cats than in 2016 as more people turned to the internet to buy a pet.
Although Facebook Marketplace does not allow people to sell animals, there are loopholes to get around the restriction. A quick search brings up puppies for sale, including French bulldogs going for up to £3,000.
Peter Laurie, the deputy chief executive of the charity, said: “You can buy a pet with the click of a mouse, often with no idea if you’re going to get the same animal as the cute photograph that caught your eye and with no idea of its background or personality. It’s animal rescues that then pick up the pieces. In the first three months of this year alone, we’ve taken in more than 100 dogs bought online, whose owners can no longer care for them, often due to veterinary problems or behavioural issues they didn’t know they had.”
Sue Perkins, the television presenter, has joined Battersea’s campaign, after adopting a Staffordshire bull terrier from the centre.
She said: “Buying online is so risky you don’t know what you’re getting and you could be fuelling an irresponsible breeder. When it comes to pets, rescue is definitely best.”
Facebook declined to comment.