Kitten adverts

[Kenzi]

I think that the money would need to exceed a certain amount for the tax people to get involved.

[Kirst]

Articles in local newspapers could help too - like the woman in PBs shop many people who BUY the kittens think they are giving an animal a good home , they have no idea what is actually going on.

If the general public were made more aware maybe they wouldnt be so keen to buy from adverts.

[madasacatter]

Perhaps someone from the tax office or benefit offices should go through the free ads, they would only have to prosecute a few.  Then maybe the word would get around and at least slow it down.  Although I know that puppy farmers have "go betweens" that pretend that the "go betweens" have bred the pups at their home.  When the prospective purchasers ask to see the parents they are told they have kennel cough or some other excuse.

Anyone that has 2 or more breeding bitches has to be registered with their local council.

On some of the internet sites you can see that the advertiser breeds regularly and that it is not an "accident".

[Angiew]

I'm totally with you on that PB.
It's the sort of thing that the RSPCA/CP should be spearheading however as it needs dedicated (ie paid) people to do.
Mind you , I'm not sure how popular a move it would be with the general public.

Stats wise - I was told that cp have done 42K (or 45 ) neuters this year so far - so thats got to help!

[Dawn F]

I've just been having this conversation over breakfast with work colleagues - apparently is it something people do to make a bit of cash, according to the girl I work with lots of people she knows in tiny flats are breeding huge breeds of dog

[Mark]

Also surely selling kittens is benefit fraud or tax evasion?

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Hi, people. 

I've had enough, I'm afraid. So far this week, we have taken in approximately 15 kittens. I say approximately because one mum may still be in labour and about to present us with more. 

Meantime, I did a quick search through an internet second-hand type website and found 1760 adverts for kittens. Full of despair, I popped my coat on and went down the shops in search of chocolate to cheer me up and found another 4 ads in shop windows. Fired up for a comfrontation, I went in the shop and started having a go at the shop keeper for allowing these ads. The conversation didn't last long as it was clear the woman had never given thought to the bigger picture, and she thought she was doing the right thing and helping kittens find homes. 

We in rescue all know that amature breeders are flooding the place with ill breed and sickly kittens, and very often we pick up the pieces. But these breeders only keep doing what they do because they can find people willing to pay. They find them via adverts, either online or in shop windows. If their publicity went, they couldn't find buyers and they wouldn't then go on knowing banging out a litter of tabbies and flogging them for £75 each is an easy way of paying the car tax or gas bill.

I want us all to start a national campaign to pressurize the government to make it illegal to display adverts, either online, in print or in shop windows for pets or companion animals unless you are a registered professional breeder or rescue. We need everyone to badger their MP and national HQs of the CP, RSPCA, Dogs Trust and every other animal welfare group you can think of to get this problem on to the agenda and into debate. These adverts in shops windows would dissapear if the shop owner were to get a £50 fine for each violation. If we can pull the rugs from under these back street breeders, life would get a lot quicker very quickly.

What say you all.... shall we do it???