Finding a guinea pig, parrot or goldfish on Le Bon Coin will soon no longer be possible.
As part of the bill for the Fight against animal abuse discussed this week in the Assembly this week, the deputies adopted the outright ban on all online sales for pets on all platforms, including specialized sites.
Read also: Animal abuse in the sights of the legislator
The decision is consequent, while many sites such as Leboncoin, but also Vivastreet or ParuVendu, offer a section dedicated to the sale of animals.
"
Today, 80% of purchases of pets are made online, without real control
", explains the deputy Dimitri Houbron, rapporteur of the law in the Assembly.
From now on, all “non-professional” sellers will have to go through shelters or breeders to acquire an animal.
Faced with clandestine announcements, favor shelters
The vote received a warm welcome from animal rights associations.
"
All clandestine sales go through the internet, which is the place of all anything,
" said Christophe Marie, spokesperson for the Brigitte Bardot foundation.
"
For example, the sale of endangered exotic species, or the explosion of sales of sheep on the eve of the festival of Eid-el-Kebir (Muslim celebration, Editor's note) which give rise to scenes vile.
There is a real online business that is spiraling out of control
”.
Throughout the month of December, the Brigitte Bardot foundation monitored Le Bon Coin, the target of the vast majority of complaints.
Verdict: Of the 700 new pet ads posted daily, only 25% would comply with the regulations.
Internet users would bypass the system by missing mandatory information, such as the SIREN number (identification system of the business directory, NDR), or by the sale of dogs such as pitbulls or rottweilers, however banned, or subject to a detention permit .
The latter would represent 7% of all announcements according to the survey.
“
The smartest manage to hide their business by listing their ad in the“ donations ”category,”
explains Christophe Marie, specifying that 21% of the offers published in December were disguised sales.
"
The price is only mentioned after contact is made
", describes the spokesperson.
Read also: Pets: how many millions of friends?
To acquire a dog or a rabbit, associations now encourage people to go to shelters.
"
Thousands of animals await you there
", exhorts Jacques-Charles Fombonne, director of the SPA.
“
If you have a particular desire, turn to the breeders.
But beware of internet scams!
".
Owner accountability
In meeting, the deputies for their part pointed out the tendency to “
compulsive purchases
” on the internet, to “
favorites
” which do not encourage reflection.
The government, which supported the amendment made by LREM deputy Aurore Bergé, had agreed a few weeks earlier on a framework charter with the Le Bon Coin platform, so that the announcements specifically identify the animals by indicating their number. identification, age, race and whether they are vaccinated.
“
All these indications remain unverifiable anyway
,” points out the president of the SPA.
However, online donation sites, which are more numerous, are not affected by the ban, as are social networks such as Facebook where offers are flourishing.
"
Online acquisitions, even free, encourage traffic,
" says Jacques-Charles Fombonne.
“
Not to mention the many scams.
You see a tempting ad such as "Give superb Labrador very sweet", but when the time comes, you will be asked to reimburse the chip, the vaccines, the equipment ...
".
Read also: From hunters to animal advocates, the attitude of some lobbyists sometimes annoys deputies
If the debate is closed in the Assembly, some points will have to be clarified before the passage of the law to the Senate, such as the penalties incurred or exceptional cases such as the birth of very large litters.
Earlier in the week, MPs also voted on an amendment requiring a "certificate of acquaintance" to adopt a pet, measures aimed at making future owners as responsible as possible.
