Acceptable Use & Listing Rules

These rules apply to everyone who uses Companimal and form part of our Terms & Conditions. They exist to keep animals safe, keep the marketplace honest, and keep us on the right side of the law. Breaking them can lead to a listing being removed and an account being suspended or banned. If you see something that breaks these rules, please report it.

Everyone must

• Be 18 or over to use the platform.
• Never sell or transfer an animal to anyone you believe to be under 16 (Animal Welfare Act 2006).
• Be truthful — in your profile, your listings, and your messages.
• Treat other users with respect. No harassment, threats, abuse, or discrimination.

Animal-welfare and legal requirements for listings

Every dog or puppy listing must comply with UK law. In particular:

• Minimum age. No puppy may be sold or rehomed before 8 weeks of age. You may advertise an upcoming litter, but the dog cannot leave before 8 weeks.
• Microchipping. It is a legal requirement for all dogs over 8 weeks to be microchipped and registered to the breeder. Microchip status is a required field on listings.
• Original breeder only ("Lucy's Law"). In England, Scotland, and Wales it is unlawful for a commercial third party to sell a puppy they did not breed. You must be the dog's breeder — unless you are a registered rescue or rehoming organisation.
• Breeding-licence display. If you breed 3 or more litters in any 12-month period, or breed and sell dogs as a business, you must hold a council Animal Activities Licence and your listing must show your licence number and the issuing council.
• Honest health information. Vaccination, worming, flea treatment, neutering, and any known health issues (including in the parents) must be stated accurately.
• Collection in person. Dogs must be collected in person or delivered by the seller in person. Live animals must never be sent by post or courier.

Licensing thresholds differ in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. You are responsible for holding the correct licence for where you operate.

Banned breeds — never permitted

It is illegal to sell, exchange, gift, advertise, or breed the following dog types under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended). They may not be listed anywhere on Companimal — for sale, at stud, or for adoption:

• Pit Bull Terrier
• Japanese Tosa
• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro (Dogo Brasileiro)
• American XL Bully

Prohibited modifications

• Ear cropping is illegal in the UK. Dogs with cropped ears may not be listed, regardless of where or when the procedure was done.
• Illegally docked tails (those not falling within the lawful working-dog exemption) may not be listed.

Listings we don't allow

• Pregnant animals offered for sale.
• Animals offered as prizes, gifts, free giveaways, or in swap arrangements.
• Wild-caught animals or any species restricted under CITES.
• Animals advertised for working, hunting, guarding, or fighting purposes.
• Duplicate or spam listings, or listings designed to mislead.
• Imported puppies under the legal minimum import age.

Stud listings

• Stud services belong only in the dedicated stud section — never in the puppies-for-sale listings.
• The stud must be at least 12 months old, microchipped, and not a banned breed.
• Relevant health testing for the breed should be stated.
• Studs must follow the Stud Code of Conduct.

Rescue and adoption listings

• Only genuine rescue or rehoming organisations may list animals they did not breed.
• Listings must be clearly for adoption/rehoming, with any adoption fee stated.
• Organisations must follow the Charity & Rescue Code of Conduct.
• The rescue category must not be used to sell commercially bred animals.

Honest conduct

• No fraudulent, deceptive, or bait-and-switch listings.
• No fake reviews or attempts to manipulate trust signals.
• No misrepresenting a business as a private sale (or the reverse).
• No using the platform to solicit payments in ways designed to evade safeguards or defraud another user.
• No posting other people's personal information without consent, and no illegal, hateful, or sexual content.

How we enforce these rules

• A report button is available on every listing and conversation.
• We aim to remove listings that break the law promptly after we become aware of them.
• We use automated checks (including for banned-breed terms and unsuitable images) alongside human review.
• Repeatedly posting unlawful listings will lead to a permanent ban.
• If you think we got an enforcement decision wrong, you can appeal — see Complaints & Reporting.