google-site-verification: googlec7193c3de77668c9.html

Birmingham cat rescued after being put up for sale on Vinted

Charlotte Benton,West Midlandsand

Trish Adudu,BBC Radio WM

Left Paw Cat Rescue A small black cat with white whiskers in a black carry case. Left Paw Cat Rescue

The three-year-old cat has been taken to a foster home after Left Paw Cat Rescue stepped in

A cat that was put up for sale on Vinted has been rescued by a Birmingham animal charity.

The three-year-old pet was listed by a seller on Wednesday for £30, before Abi Left, the founder of Left Paw Cat Rescue in Kings Heath, spotted the advert and was among volunteers from the charity who stepped in.

Ms Left said it “was not a first” for a cat to be rescued from an online seller, but it was now “safe and sound” after being taken into foster care.

In a statement Vinted said: “We absolutely do not condone this kind of behaviour”, adding that the listing had been removed from the platform on Wednesday “as soon as they became aware of it”.

Left Paw Cat Rescue A small black cat listed for sale on Vinted. A picture of the cat is at the top sitting on a beige sofa, under the picture is the text, which says "I want to sell him" and "£30", "make an offer" and "buy now". Left Paw Cat Rescue

The seller advertised the cat on Vinted for £30

Ms Left said the seller did not ask her any questions before she handed over the cat.

“I didn’t even say I was from a rescue (centre), she didn’t do any checks she was just very very happy to hand her cat over to me.”

The founder added that the seller told her “people had been having a go at her” for trying to sell the cat on the site, and she “did not see what was wrong with it”.

A statement from Vinted said the site “is not a place for the sale of animals, as stated in our Catalogue Rules”.

“Vinted takes action on reports of prohibited items on the platform, either through our own technology, such as software tools designed to detect prohibited listings, or through member reports,” it added.

Abi Left A young woman holding a black and white cat in front of a wooden door. The woman is wearing a grey hoodie and clear-framed glasses. Abi Left

Abi Left, founder of Left Paw Cat Rescue in Birmingham, stepped in to rescue the pet after she spotted the seller’s listing on Vinted

Ms Left said the price that the cat had been listed for, £30, demonstrated the owner placed “no real value on his life”.

She added that the cat had been “very scared” when he was collected from the seller’s home and continued to hide from its foster carers but that was “normal” and it would “take a few days for him to come out”.

“At least he’s safe, we know he’s in the right hands and hasn’t accidentally ended up in the wrong hands,” the founder said.

“Members can report listings that appear to involve prohibited items or otherwise break our rules,” Vinted’s statement added.

“Each report is reviewed promptly, and any non-compliant listing is removed.”


BBC News

Advertisements

See also  'It shouldn't be like this': Full-time workers relying on food handouts amid cost of living crisis | UK News

Check Also

Two teens critically injured in linked stabbings in Dagenham

Two teenagers have been critically injured in stabbings in east London that police are treating …

Two teens critically injured in linked stabbings in Dagenham

Two teenagers have been critically injured in stabbings in east London that police are treating …

Struggling to settle in at uni? Sheffield students share their tips

Not all students, however, will feel comfortable joining societies and continue to struggle to settle …

Leave a Reply

Available for Amazon Prime