We have put together the resource below to help pet selling websites to understand what information should be included in a pet advert. By including this information, those looking for a pet will be less likely to be scammed by bad sellers.
Websites should require anybody advertising a pet for sale to add the following information to the advert.
Standardised fields
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority should also be supplied
- Rescue
- Optional for rescues rehoming: Sociability/friendliness - This could be represented as a scale 1 = limited human contact preferred, to 5 = extremely friendly
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Insert breed information
- Long-haired
- Short-haired
- None
- GCCG
- TICA
- Felis Britannica
- Male
- Female
Breeders to include a recognisable photo of young animals with their mother
Insert age
- Yes
- No
- Fully vaccinated
- Product used and date applied should also be required
- Partially vaccinated
- Product used and date applied should also be required
- Yes
- Product used and date applied should also be required
- No
- Yes
- Product used and date applied should also be required
- No
Breed-specific, buyers encouraged to check https://icatcare.org/advice/cat-breeds to find out more.
- Yes
- No
Optional supporting wording: ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
- Yes
- No
N.b. Yes - must be yes if under 8 weeks/no - if hand reared or over 8 weeks
- In the home
- Outdoor pen
- Indoor pen
- Yes
- No
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and Licensing authority should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Insert breed here
- Male
- Female
Breeders should include a recognisable photo of young animals with their mother
Insert age here
- Small
- Medium
- Large
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- No
- Will be by 8 weeks
N.b. It is a legal requirement for all dogs over 8 weeks of age to be microchipped and registered to their breeder; then for the new owner to transfer the chip to their details
- Yes
- No
N.b. Puppies cannot legally be imported under the age of 15 weeks. A red flag should be triggered if a puppy below 15 weeks is listed as having a passport
- Yes
- No
- Reared with siblings
- Reared with other
- Unknown
- Adult only
- Any age
- Primary school age
- Secondary school age
- Yes
- Details of the product used and date applied should also be required
- No
- Yes
- Details of the product used and date applied should also be required
- No
- Fully
- Details of the product used and the date applied should also be required
- Partially
- Details of the product used and the date applied should also be required
- Healthy
- Health issues
- Free text for further information
- Breed suffers from inherited problems
- Free text for further information
- Mother healthy
- Father healthy
- Mother/Father have had surgical procedures to correct features that could be inherited by the puppy
Link to Kennel Club's Breed A-Z
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- No
Supporting text: ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
Buyers should be encouraged to enter information about the dog's temperament and level of training here
- Private
- Commercial
- Rescue
Nearest town or the county where the equine can be viewed
Insert country of origin
Insert breed information
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- Foreign POI
- UK PIO
- No
Sub question (if yes)
Owner details up to date:
- Yes
- No
Include link to DEFRA Horse passport website
- Stallion
- Mare
- Gelding
Ideally for equines photos should be of the front and both sides
Insert age
Insert height
- Yes
- No
If yes,
Microchip registered with PIO?
- Yes
- Microchip number
- No
Include link to Central Equine Database
- Beginner
- Novice
- Intermediate
- Experienced
- Hack
- Eventer
- Dressage
- Show jumper
- Hunter
- Companion
- Driven
- Other
- Free text for further information
- led
- Backed
- Novice
- Experienced
- Elite
- Free text for further information
Free text for description
- Yes
- Free text for results
- No
- Yes
- Product used and date given will be required
- No
- Yes
- Product used and date given should be required
- No
- Yes
- Product used and date given should be required
- No
- Healthy
- Health issues
- Free text for further information
Supporting text: ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority should be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Insert breed information
- Male
- Female
Breeders should include a recognisable photo of young animals with their mother
Insert age
- Yes
- No
Insert passport status
- Vaccinated within past 12 months
- Unvaccinated
- Too young
- Yes
- No
Report button alongside wording e.g. ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
- Private
- Licensed
- The license number and licensing authority should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Insert species
An image of the group of fish or fish in the tank would be acceptable
Supporting text: ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
It should be made clear to sellers and buyers that it is an offence to offer a species covered by GB Wildlife Trade Regulations Annex A and listed by CITES for sale without a valid Article 10 Certificate.
- Wild caught
- Captive bred
- Not known
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence Number and Licensing Authority should be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Insert breed information
- Male
- Female
Breeders to include a recognisable photo of young animals with their mother
Insert age
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- No
N.b. Buyers should be encouraged to ask the seller for a vaccination card
- Yes
- No
- Adult only
- Any age
- Primary school age
- Secondary school age
Optional supporting text: ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority should be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Include details on the breed/variety
- Male
- Female
N.b. Chinchilla breeders should include a recognisable picture of the young animals with their mother
Insert age
- Yes
- No
Optional supporting wording: ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
Standardised fields for exotic pets
Insert species information
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Where Annex A-listed
- Male
- Female
- Unknown
Insert a recognisable photo of the individual(s) for sale
Insert age information if known.
If unknown:
- Neonate (results in advert being stopped)
- Juvenile
- Adult
Optional field for microchip/leg ring number
- Wild caught
- Captive bred
- Unknown
- Hand reared
- Parent reared
- Long-term captive
- Ranched
- Farmed
Report button alongside wording e.g. ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
Information regarding wild-caught/captive: Wild-caught animals can experience more health and welfare problems than captive-bred, due to the stress of capture, transport and adapting to captivity.
Insert species information
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority information should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence information
Insert country of origin
Where Annex A-listed
- Male
- Female
- Unknown
Include a recognisable photo of the individual(s) for sale
- Age if known (this is the default option)
- Unknown
If unknown:
- Neonate (results in advert being stopped)
- Juvenile
- Adult
Optional field for microchip/leg ring number
- Wild caught
- Captive bred
- Not known
- Hand reared
- Parent reared
- Long-term captive
- Ranched
- Farmed
Report button alongside wording e.g. ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
Information regarding wild-caught/captive: Wild-caught animals can experience more health and welfare problems than captive-bred, due to the stress of capture, transport and adapting to captivity.
Please note, PAAG members who specialise in exotic species have recommended that these species are not suitable for sale on classified sites
Insert species information
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority information should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Where Annex A-listed
- Male
- Female
- Unknown
Include a recognisable photo of the individual(s) for sale
- Age if known (this is the default option)
- Unknown
If unknown:
- Neonate (results in advert being stopped)
- Juvenile
- Adult
Optional field for microchip/leg ring number
- Wild caught
- Captive bred
- Not known
- Hand reared
- Parent reared
- Long-term captive
- Ranched
- Farmed
Report button alongside wording e.g. ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
Information regarding wild-caught/captive: Wild-caught animals can experience more health and welfare problems than captive-bred, due to the stress of capture, transport and adapting to captivity.
Insert species information
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority information should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Where Annex A-listed
- Male
- Female
- Unknown
Include a recognisable photo of the individual(s) for sale
- Age if known
- Unknown
If unknown:
-
Neonate (results in advert being stopped
-
Juvenile
-
Adult
Optional field
- Wild caught
- Captive bred
- Not known
- Long-term captive
- Ranched
- Farmed
Report button alongside wording e.g. ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
Insert species information
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Where Annex A-listed
- Male
- Female
Include a recognisable photo of the individual(s) for sale
- Age if known
- Unknown
If unknown:
-
Neonate (results in advert being stopped
-
Juvenile
-
Adult
Optional field
- Wild caught
- Captive bred
- Not known
- Hand reared
- Parent reared
Report button alongside wording e.g. ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
Insert species information
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Where Annex A-listed
- Male
- Female
- Unknown
Include a recognisable photo of the individual(s) for sale
- Age if known
- Unknown
If unknown:
-
Neonate (results in advert being stopped
-
Juvenile
-
Adult
- Wild caught
- Captive bred
- Not known
- Long-term captive
- Ranched
- Farmed
Report button alongside wording e.g. ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’
Insert species information
- Private
- Licensed
- Licence number and licensing authority should also be supplied
- Rescue
Insert country of residence
Insert country of origin
Where Annex A-listed
- Male
- Female
- Unknown
Include a recognisable photo of the individual(s) for sale
- Age if known
- Unknown
If unknown:
-
Neonate (results in advert being stopped
-
Juvenile
-
Adult
- Wild caught
- Captive bred
- Not known
Report button alongside wording e.g. ‘The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) promotes responsible pet advertising to help protect animal welfare. That’s why [website] works to ensure our adverts meet PAAG’s Minimum Standards. If you spot an advert that does not meet these standards, please report the advert to [website] and we will take action. Find more information on buying your pet here.’