Ugh

[janinedog]

So apparently LiveJournal has implemented a Classifieds section on the site, which appears to just be OLX embedded into the site. That's fine--I have nothing against classified ads on there, even if I will never use it.

However, almost the first link you see is the Animals link. I click it, and I see a bunch of ads for puppy mill and backyard breeder puppies and kittens. Some examples:

* T-Cup Size Yorkshire-Terrier puppies - "You can easily put them in your pocket and go shopping or something, no one will notice they are there." And they're so small that they have tons of health issues.

* RAZORS EDGE PIT BULL PUPPIES - "NOT FOR FIGHTING" Right, with a name like "Razor's Edge"?

* CKC Bull Terrier Puppies *** Must Sell Fast*** Shipping Available - "Registered w/ CKC" This is the "Continental Kennel Club", which is basically a dog registry for puppy mills, and doesn't actually hold any merit. A nice way to make more money on dogs that aren't bred well.

There's so much evidence that buying puppies (and kittens, but I think it happens more with puppies) online is a really really bad idea--they tend to be sickly and have lots of genetic problems. The people selling them almost always are doing it just to make money. The conditions they're raised in tend to be horrible, too.

I really don't think LiveJournal wants to be supporting this industry, even indirectly. I hope that they will consider at least removing that category from their classifieds page.

Some information about puppy mills:

HSUS's puppy mills page
ASPCA's puppy mills page
What YOU Can Do To Help Make Pet Shops and Puppymills Go Away for Good
Hate, fear and the politics of puppy-mills

Edit: LJ is following up on this. Good to know that people there care about this issue. :)

Comments

[azurelunatic]

Oh dear.

That might be a bit tough for them, unless they've changed the implementation since when I first heard about it; a couple of us were poking around a while ago, and it was a frame around the regular site there.

I'm pretty sure that animal welfare is a hot button for at least one or two of the LJ staff, though, so I could see change happening.

[janinedog]

Yeah, I have no idea if it's possible or not--I imagine it depends on how close the relationship with OLX is. Maybe they can get OLX to make some version of it that doesn't include that link. Or, better yet, maybe OLX will remove it from their side too...but I won't hold my breath for that.

[foxfirefey]

I think it's totally possible. The main OLX site has sections, like Personals, that the embedded LJ site doesn't.

[amethystfirefly]

-hugs- I hope that something keeps them from showing those ads. :(

[hkellick]

Gah.

Stuff like that is why I support the SPCA. I don't need no show dog, nor show cat. just a housepet. And SPCA kittehs and puppies make good housepets.