Preloved began over 25 years ago as a general classifieds website, a place for buyers and sellers from all over the country to find each other. We allowed pets on Preloved because the alternative at that time was cards in shop windows or posters taped to lamp posts. We wanted more traceability and accountability in pet rehoming.
So we took steps early on to make sure the rehoming journey was an informative one. We were the UK’s first site to introduce a Pet Pledge and Animal Listing Guidelines, long before other companies even had a website!
But after a quarter of a century of promoting responsible rehoming, there are still a few questions that we’re regularly asked. So we’re here to answer them for you.
Why Don’t You Ban The Sale Of Pets On Preloved?
Nowadays, it’s common place for people to use the internet to find new homes, new jobs, even new friends! Preloved acts as a meeting place for buyers and sellers to find one another. Because we don’t allow onsite transactions, the ‘sale of pets’ is actually moved to in-person to allow would-be buyers to see the pets in real life and make decisions from there.
Banning the sale of pets online wont resolve animal welfare concerns or issues. It’ll simply make it more difficult to detect and take action. Driving unscrupulous sellers underground will make it harder for authorities to find and prosecute them. We’ve worked with a number of local authorities to help expose back-alley breeders and having a digital record is invaluable.
What we prioritise is the promotion of consumer awareness when it comes to buying and selling pets online. That’s why we take steps to include as much information as possible on all of our pet adverts.
Do You Ask Members To Verify Their Identity?
Yes. As well as verifying a new member’s registered address by sending a PIN to that property, we also ask our members to verify their identity, free of charge, via our partners, YOTI. This government-grade ID software allows members to produce a Passport or Driving License and then verify through video capture that the person submitting the document is the person in the photo ID.
This extra layer of ID verification provides transparency and a sense of trust and safety that the person our members speak to are in fact who they claim to be.
When looking at listings, check out the seller’s Profile to see if they have the blue tick against their username.
Do You Check The Adverts For Pets On Preloved?
Yes. Every advert submitted in our Pet category must include details specific to the species being sold. If any information is missing from the submitted ad, or if the ad contains certain words or phrases it will be rejected immediately.
If an advert makes it passed our stringent listing process the seller’s notified their ad will soon be published. In the meantime, our team of Moderators will be looking through the advert to make sure that all of the relevant details are included, the images clearly show the animal that’s being advertised and that it’s in good health, and also that Mum is shown where applicable (puppies and kittens). The seller’s account details are also reviewed.
If our Moderators have any concerns, the adverts are rejected and would-be sellers are contacted.
Why Do I Have To Wait For You To Review My Ad?
Once a pet advert’s submitted for review our Moderators have a brief window to review all of the details before it’s published on site. We understand this can be frustrating.
Our priority is always the welfare of the animals being advertised on Preloved. Our second concern is maintaining a safe and trusted site for our members. This can take Moderators a little time and we suggest this can take up to 12 hours.
Unlike placing an advert on Preloved for a sofa or a garden shed, these adverts are for the rehoming of sentient beings. It’s paramount to us that their rehoming journey is treated with respect and all due diligence is carried out.
Do You Charge Members To Advertise Pets On Preloved?
No. Preloved is a Free To Use service for our members. Members can place an advert and find a buyer with No Listing Fees and No Selling Fees.
The only exception is for Registered Breeders who, as a business, must become a Preloved Business Member for just £24 a month which can be cancelled at any time.
How Can I Tell If A Seller Is A Licensed Breeder?
All pets advertised by registered and licensed breeders will include the seller’s License number, and the Local Authority it was issued by. This is shown in the listings ‘Additional Information’ section. These sellers and their premises have been visited and reviewed by their local authority and are considered to meet all requirements.
If you search for Cat or Dog, you can then select ‘Business’ as the Advertiser Type to display all of our Breeders.
How Can I Place An Ad As A Licensed Breeder On Preloved?
If you’re wanting to register as a Licensed Breeder on Preloved, please contact our Moderators who will ask you to submit a copy of your Breeder License and verify the details. Breeders are asked to subscribe to the Preloved Business membership type which costs just £24 a month and can be cancelled at any time.
What Type Of Pet Ad Isn’t Allowed On Preloved?
We have quite a long list of adverts that we do NOT allow on Preloved. Here are just a few:
- Pets Adverts without a Minimum of 5 images
- Adverts for Kittens and Pups that don’t include photo/s of Mum
- Animals being sold ‘underage’ (variable by species)
- Pregnant animals, or animals offered for Stud under 1 year old.
- Any Dogs controlled under current UK Dangerous Dog legislation.
- Any Dogs with Docked Tails (with the exception of Working Breeds as defined in the Animal Welfare Act 2006)
- Any Dogs with Cropped Ears
- Animals listed within Annex A of the CITES endangered species list without a valid Article 10 certificate.
- Adverts that offer Delivery via postal or courier services of live vertebrates
- Adverts that promote the purchase of animals for ‘Gifts’, including phrases such as ‘Will Be Available In Time For Christmas’, or ‘Ready To Rehome For Valentines’.
- Any Dogs, Cats, or Equids (of age) advertised as Not Microchipped (Microchipping of Cats has been mandatory for 3 years on Preloved and will become legal requirement in June 2024).
For more information on our Listing Guidelines, please click here.
What Personal Details Do You Publish On My Pet Advert?
- Registered Breeders: Adverts made by Registered Breeders will include License number and the Local Authority it was issued by.
- Microchips: Adverts that include a Microchipped animal will state that the animal is microchipped but the microchip numbers will NOT be published. It is included in the Listing process for our records only.
- CITES Endangered: Adverts that include an animal listed within Annex A of the CITES endangered species list will display the Article 10 Certificate number.
We do not publish a user’s own name, postal address, email address, or phone number in advert descriptions.
Do You Work With the Pet Advertising Advisory Group?
Yes. We are 1 of just 8 websites in the UK that work with Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG). PAAG have created Advertising Standards that all engaged sites must abide by.
How Can I Speak To A Preloved Moderator?
If you would like to speak to our team of Moderators, you can contact them here.
I’ve Seen Pets On Preloved That Concern Me. How Can I Report It?
Every advert on Preloved has a ‘Report Advert’ button at the bottom. If you click on that you’ll be taken to a messaging page that links to the advert so our Moderators will know which advert you’re worried about. You can tell the moderators what your concerns are and they’ll be able to investigate and remove the advert from Preloved.
