The first step in making sure animals are rehomed responsibly on Preloved is to regulate the type of adverts people submit. We do this by implementing stringent Guidelines for what we will and will not permit. We’ve then built these into Preloved’s ‘Place An Advert’ journey.
Members placing adverts on Preloved have to select the relevant category. They then have to enter the details that are unique to the species they’re advertising. Adverts with incomplete data CANNOT be submitted.
Once an advert’s successfully submitted it’s then over to our team of Welfare Moderators to check all of the details and the content of the images, all meet our advertising standards.
For more information on Preloved’s Listing Guidelines, please see below.
Animal Listing Guidelines And Advertising Standards
- All adverts for animals must be accompanied by a recent photo of the animal offered.
- We do not allow cats to be sold within 9 weeks of being born. We do not allow dogs or any other mammals to be sold within 8 weeks of being born. Other animals (non mammals) may only be sold once they are capable of feeding themselves. We do not accept adverts for animals that are yet to be born. We do not accept adverts for animals which are pregnant.
- Advertisers classed as carrying on a business of breeding dogs for sale within the terms of the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act must be appropriately licensed and require Preloved Business membership.
- Members advertising 3 or more litters of kittens or puppies will be considered a commercial breeder, and therefore require Preloved Business membership in order to advertise kittens or puppies.
- We have the right to ask members to upgrade to Preloved Business membership if we believe they are selling pets in the course of business.
- We do not allow animals to be bought with the intention of then being resold.
- We do not allow animals less than 12 months old to be advertised for stud.
- Advertisers offering to rescue animals should state clearly whether they are offering the animal a permanent home, or whether it will eventually be rehomed to a new owner. If the animal is to be rehomed, the advert should also clearly state an indication of the donation amount that will be required by the new owner and a brief description of the process undertaken in selecting a new owner for the animal (eg. home visits required, references required etc.).
- We do not accept advertisements for Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentino, Fila Braziliero, crosses of these breeds, or other dogs of the type controlled under current UK Dangerous Dogs legislation. We also reserve the right to decline advertisements where we have reason to suspect that a dog is a prohibited type or has the potential to be dangerous, either based on the appearance of the animal or wording of the advert.
- We do not accept adverts for dogs trained as guard dogs or trained to be aggressive, or dogs listed for working or hunting purposes alone. Please view our Working Dog definition for more guidance.
- Animals listed within Annex A of the CITES endangered species list must be sold with a valid Article 10 certificate. This includes certain species of parrot, parakeet, cockatoo and tortoise. Its presence, along with a valid Article 10 certificate number, must be stated in the advert.
- We do not accept advertisements for any breed of meerkats, genets or monkeys.
- We do not accept any adverts for seahorses (either live or curios).
- We do not accept advertisements for animals controlled under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.
- We do not accept advertisements of wild caught animals.
- We do not accept advertisements for dogs with docked tails born after April 2007, with the exception of working breeds as defined in the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Any docked working breeds must state that a vet’s certificate is available to verify the docking was done legally. This restriction includes animals born outside England and Wales.
- We do not allow the advertisement of dogs that have clipped or cropped ears.
- We do not accept adverts for dogs advertised as suitable for illegal activities such as dog fighting and hare coursing.
- Live vertebrates are not to be delivered through the postal system or by courier service, national or international.
- We do not allow animals to be advertised as “gifts”, especially in reference to special occasions such as Christmas and Easter.
- We do not allow animals to be advertised as “urgent” or “must-go” as this creates urgency that may result in an animal going to an unsuitable home.
- We do not allow live animals to be advertised as pet food.
- We do not allow the buying or selling of any animals located outside the UK, or the selling of animals overseas.
- We do not allow the sale of horses, ponies or donkeys without a passport.
- We do not accept advertisements for animals to be swapped.
- It is illegal for an animal to be purchased by someone under 16 years of age. However, we do not allow children under the age of 18 to advertise in our pets or livestock categories as we feel this is more responsible. Sellers should make all practical enquiries to ensure that purchasers on Preloved are over the age of 18.
- Every purchaser must comply with the duty of care obligations to an animal as specified under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
- In order to meet PAAG minimum standards, we reserve the right to prevent advertisers placing animal adverts based on their account activity
- Advertisers classed as carrying on a business of running a pet shop within the terms set out by the government must be appropriately licensed and require Preloved Business membership
- We do not accept advertisements for puppies for sale under a pet shop license alone. Only those with a valid dog breeding license can advertise multiple litters of puppies on Preloved.
- As of April 6th 2016, all dogs must be microchipped in order to be advertised on Preloved as defined by The Microchipping of Dogs Regulations across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
- Preloved reserves the right to refuse, suspend or ban any member who they believe is acting in an irresponsible way.
- As of October 1st 2020, all horses, ponies, and donkeys in England must, by law, be microchipped.
- As of October 2020, all cats aged 4 months and over must be microchipped in order to be advertised on Preloved.
- As of October 2020, Preloved reserves the right to refuse listings of Rabbit hutches and / or cages that do not meet the size guidelines as recommended by RWAF (Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund).
- As of May 2023, Preloved reserves the right to refuse listings for raptor birds, as recommended by the British Veterinary Association.
- As of October 2023, Preloved reserves the right to refuse listings for Munchkin and Scottish Fold cats due to health concerns, as recommended by Cats Protection.
- As of December 2023, Preloved reserves the right to refuse all listings for XL Bully dogs. From 31st December, 2023, it is illegal to rehome, sell, buy, or transfer ownership of an XL Bully dog to another person.
For more information see:
- Microchipping for Dogs – England
- Microchipping for Dogs – Scotland
- Microchipping for Dogs – Wales
- Microchipping for Dogs – Northern Ireland
- Microchipping for Dogs – Ireland
- CITES
- The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
- The Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997
- Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999
- The Dangerous Wild Animals Act
- The Animal Welfare Act 2006
- RSPB
- PAAG Minimum Standards
- Pet Shop license
Animal and Wildlife Products
These guidelines do not apply to living animals. For more information on live animals, please read our Animal guidelines.
Some animal and wildlife products (including taxidermy) are permitted for trade on Preloved, but there are others which are not based on their animal origin.
Preloved allow adverts for the following:
- Animal parts, pelts or skin from non-endangered species may be listed on Preloved (apart from cats and dogs), if not in breach of local laws.
- Trade in CITES Annex B species is legal provided the formalities of the law are complied with including obtaining important and export permits. Please review CITES guidance on imports and exports for further information.
- Faux productions of animal products can be sold. Items must be clearly listed as faux in the title and description.
Preloved do not allow adverts for the following:
- Animal parts from animal species listed in Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (for UK) or Schedules to the Wildlife Act 1976 and Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 (for Ireland) unless the seller has documentation proving the animal was not taken from the wild.
- Any animal part from an endangered species which is listed in Annex A of the European Wildlife Regulations which implements CITES within the EU.
- Eggs from wild birds regardless of age and condition.
Ivory and Bone Products
Due to depletions in global populations of vulnerable ivory producing species, Preloved does not allow adverts for any products made from ivory and bone.
Although there are exceptions, most ivory and bone products have various international trade restrictions. Due to demands of the ivory market, many species from which the ivory is harvested are endangered or protected. Visit IFAW or WWF for more information about global ivory trade.
Preloved allow adverts for the following:
- Pre-1947 pianos and furniture with ivory elements. Must be advertised with proof of age from an antiques expert
- Man-made ivory including vegetable ivory and French ivory. The material of the item must be clearly stated in the advert
- Bone from non-ivory producing animals (e.g. bison, buffalo, and oxen). The animal origin must be stated clearly on the advert
- Fossilised bone. The species and origin must be listed clearly on the advert
Preloved does not allow adverts for any items made from real ivory and bones from ivory producing species, including:
- Elephants
- Walruses
- Sperm and Killer whales
- Narwhals
- Hippopotamus
- Wart hog
