Why not call for a ban on online advertising?
09/09/2020
We have to accept that many people now choose to look for their pet online, in much the same way they look for a job, a home, or even a partner.
It would be short sighted for us to suggest that a complete ban on the advertising of pets for sale online would eradicate the challenges of poor animal welfare, impulse buying of pets and unscrupulous sellers looking to make a profit from selling animals. We feel dedicated consumer awareness campaigns and the implementation of our Minimum Standards for online adverting will be much more likely to encourage more responsible advertising and purchasing in the longer term than an outright ban on online advertising.
It is also not possible to have jurisdiction over websites based outside the UK. A ban on online advertising may have the likely unintended consequence that websites move their operations overseas to avoid having to abide by such a law.
Approved by: All PAAG Members
Date: Wednesday 9th October 2019