Gumtree Ireland has banned all advertising of pets and pet services meaning companion animals can no longer be listed anywhere on their site to buy or sell.
A search for dogs or puppies draws a blank on the website, triggering a message stating : No listings have been found.
Gumtree Ireland and other online sales platforms have been under scrutiny and pressure from animal welfare campaign groups over pet sales concerns, and in the last two and a half years Do Better Done Deal have persisted with documenting companion animal ads on Gumtree Ireland considered to be in breach of regulations.
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Other online selling sites, including Gumtree in Northern Ireland, are still carrying ads for dogs and other companion animals and campaigners are calling for website owners and the admin teams on WhatsApp/Facebook groups selling pets, to face prosecution.
A spokesperson for the Do Better Done Deal campaign group, said: "Gumtree Ireland have now fully removed their pet section. This was without doubt the correct thing to do as the website had proved to be the go-to website for those seeking to list animals for sale and supply in breach of regulations.
"EU law is moving towards more regulation of on-line marketplaces and we hope this is a good sign for the future.
"There are other websites also listing animals for sale illegally, there are WhatsApp groups being set up to sell and auction animals in breach of regulations - we won't name them and give them free advertising, but they should all know they are being watched and it is only time before they are gone too.
"Sadly pets in Northern Ireland are still vulnerable. A organised campaign targeting advertisers, whose ads are displayed on Gumtree UK is the way to go. It will take time, but it will be worth it. What brands want to be associated with this muck? No one.
"Our Government must start to prosecute people who try and break the law when selling/supplying animals. We know that they have received hundreds of reports of illegal sellers - yet they do nothing. Make no bones about it, it is this lack of enforcement that has us in the situation we are in with regards to over supply and zero dog control compliance.
"Effectively controlling on-line advertising with the compulsory use of API technology, mandatory upgrading of private microchip database operator technology and the creation of a state-owned microchip database is the answer.
"We believe enough is enough and that it's time to prosecute the WhatsApp/Facebook group admins and the website owners, hold them all accountable for what they cause to be published."
Do Better Done Deal have a small core team of volunteers who have spent endless hours of the last 30 months shining a light on perceived breaches of pet advertising on Gumtree Ireland. Each ad was screen shotted and sent with a report and complaint to the company who to date.
A spokesperson said: "Endless Screen shotting and tagging and embarrassing brands. This did not happen overnight, this is the result of two and half years of sustained documentation of illegal breaches."
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