Initiative against illegal puppy trade in Europe

Four Paws estimates the value of the online trade in puppies in Europe at almost 1.5 billion euros per year.

Almost 2.4 million dogs are traded every year through the three major European classified ad portals for dogs.

Thanks to the joint initiative of the global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS, the reference register for pet registration Europetnet, the national dog database Amicus, and the online classified ad portal anibis.ch fraudulent advertisers and unscrupulous puppy traders can now be prevented from reaching potential customers. With the VeriPet verification system, launched for the first time in Ireland and now in Switzerland, only registered and verified dog owners can advertise their animals on anibis.ch. This verification system makes a significant contribution to reducing the illegal puppy trade and the associated animal suffering.

The key to VeriPet's success lies in the fact that the system is designed to deter criminals who profit from the suffering of dogs and their owners. Every person placing an advertisement for a dog on anibis.ch must have their ownership details verified through the national dog database Amicus. This means that anyone who has not registered their dog or puppy cannot offer the animal for sale.

IT service provider Identitas AG operates Amicus, Switzerland's only national dog database, with more than half a million registered dogs. anibis.ch is one of Switzerland's largest classified ad sites and will implement the project as a pioneer. Around 20,000 dog advertisements are published on anibis.ch every year.

The system is designed to put an end to the anonymity of online trading and ensure that responsible dog breeders can continue to place advertisements, while those who circumvent the law lose access to the online marketplace. Special provisions apply to animal shelters, unborn litters, and dogs registered in other countries. 

VIER PFOTEN is very pleased to be able to implement VeriPet, the technical solution for regulating illegal puppy trade on online platforms in Switzerland. We would like to thank our partners Europetnet, Amicus, and anibis.ch for allowing us to launch and implement this promising project together with them.

Alexandra Mandoki, Country Director of VIER PFOTEN Switzerland.

«The introduction of VeriPet is a major step forward in regulating the online pet market. When rolled out across Europe, this new system for verifying online pet listings will significantly improve the traceability of pets travelling across national borders and provide greater protection for pet owners when acquiring a new animal», emphasises Remi Gelle, President of Europetnet.

As the national dog database, Amicus ensures their traceability within Switzerland. «We are pleased to contribute to animal welfare and to support VIER PFOTEN as a partner in the fight against illegal puppy trading», says Isabelle Habegger, Product Manager at Identitas AG, the operator of Amicus.

«One of anibis.ch's priorities is to offer a high-quality classifieds platform that provides maximum security for our users. For years, we have been convinced that simply removing the animal category is not a solution. anibis.ch is proud to play a pioneering role in this holistic project to curb illegal puppy trading», says Alessia Quaglia, Managing Director of anibis.ch.

VeriPet is an example of online pet trade regulation that other platforms and governments can follow at an international level. VIER PFOTEN and Europetnet are committed to encouraging other countries and platforms to follow this example soon and demonstrate that safe online trading in pets is possible. 

How the VeriPet technical system works

With the VeriPet application programming interface (API), only registered — and therefore traceable — owners can list a dog for sale. When an ad is placed on a classifieds site, the seller must provide the dog's microchip number along with their mobile phone number or email address. The VeriPet interface then automatically cross-checks pet registration databases via Europetnet to determine whether the details match. The dog's registered owner then receives a one-time code that must be included in the listing in order for it to be activated.

This means that only the person registered on the dog's microchip can place an ad to sell that dog. Illegal puppy traders who do not want to be tracked down by the authorities — and therefore do not have the dog registered — cannot verify their identity and consequently lose access to the online marketplace.