Letter Sent to Craig Newmark on Saturday, May 21, 2005

To: Craig Newmark, Craigslist

From: Bay Area Shelters and Rescue Groups

We represent 14 [see updates] shelters and rescue groups in the San Francisco Bay Area, both publicly funded and privately funded. We respectfully request that Craigslist consider the adoption of the guidelines presented below concerning the placement of animals on Craigslist.

The animal welfare community of the San Francisco Bay Area would like to acknowledge the positive ways that Craigslist has benefited our community. The Pet Section has been an invaluable resource and has contributed enormously to the re-homing of pets in need.

By displaying pets online and giving clients a chance to “see” available animals without having to drive long distances, we have been able to increase adoptions. In addition, shelters and rescues have found Craigslist to be a valuable tool in recruiting volunteers and foster parents, as well as publicizing adoption events.

Ending the Euthansia of Adoptable Dogs and Cats by 2007
Local shelters embarked on an aggressive strategy back in 1997 to eliminate the euthanasia of adoptable animals by the year 2007. We have enjoyed success for all dog breeds except for one: the over-represented and over-bred pit bull and pit mixes. Despite our best efforts, this breed has actually increased over the past five years—the only breed to do so—and is overcrowding the public shelters. Because they are unwanted by the majority of pet owners, they are being killed. Over 75% of the dogs being killed in our shelters are pit bulls or pit bull mixes. Simply put, there are more dogs of this one breed than there are homes that can accept them for life.

Casual and High-Volume Breeders are Contributing to the Problem
The impetus for the recent surge of pit bull sales is, quite simply, economics. Both casual and high-volume breeders are benefiting from the sale of pit bulls, whether or not the dogs are sold to homes that understand their needs.

These days, most responsible pet owners spay or neuter their pets, or at the very least, prevent litters. This is why even eBay®, committed to making money over all else, does not allow the sale of pets. This is also why the Vincent Bill (AB 1856), passed in the State of California in 1998, requires rescue groups and shelters to alter all animals before they are adopted. The impact has been significant, especially in the Bay Area, where the numbers of animals at-large and killed in shelters have been greatly reduced, with the exception of the pit bull population.

The Craigslist Situation
Unfortunately, Craigslist Pets has inadvertently provided a popular venue for irresponsible breeders to increase their sales. Free advertising attracts a good percentage of individuals who have no interest in the animals’ well being or future, just the immediate financial reward from a sale. In fact, in January, February and March of 2005, over 600 pitbulls were offered for sale on Craigslist. In one year, if even half of these dogs were altered, they would produce an additional 4500 pitbulls or pit bull mixes in our community. Assuming the numbers on Craigslist stay the same, that is an additional 18,000 pitbulls in just one year.

We are a diverse group, with different beliefs about adoption, pit bulls, shelter care, and even about the adoptability of the dogs and cats we see every day. We are comprised of well-funded, established shelters with large staffs, as well as small rescues who have no paid staff. We do not often see eye-to-eye on solutions or operations.

Nevertheless, the one thing we certainly agree on is that Craigslist is facilitating the birth, and ultimately, the death of thousands of dogs monthly. Even worse, the indiscriminate breeding by amateur hobbyists has resulted in dogs with troubled, abnormal temperaments, some of which may pose a danger to our communities.

Seeking Solutions
Please consider our suggestions; we know that you are committed to the communities you represent. By taking this action, you will boldly and directly influence positive change and help curb the suffering of a deserving breed that is in crisis due to its popularity with irresponsible breeders.

The media have expressed significant interest in the animal community’s response to the pit bull overpopulation problem in our shelters and the very public incidences that have occurred in our streets. They are demanding comments as well as solutions from our respective organizations. With that in mind, we will be providing a copy of this request to them as we feel it is a necessary step in ending the pit bull overpopulation problem in the region.