Between September 2023 and June 2024, FOUR PAWS investigated the sale of puppies on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, owned by Meta.

Investigations revealed widespread illicit trade of puppies by unscrupulous and unverifiable breeders across Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, across multiple European countries, including several EU member states. In June 2024, the combined audience of the surveyed Facebook groups, where puppy sales from private sellers were likely occurring, exceeded 600,000 members, including both sellers and potential buyers.

The analysis of hundreds of posts by likely private sellers advertising puppies for sale revealed various deceptive methods used to avoid detection by Meta.

Investigators also uncovered evidence of:

• Illegality
• Cruelty
• Deception

Multiple dealers advertising underage puppies for sale, including puppies imported from various countries.

Two Eastern European sellers advertised underage puppies for sale in German Facebook groups with paperwork claiming they had kennel club certification. The logos, certificates and branding were likely used to give an impression of reputable breeding. Despite this, the puppies were offered to be imported to Germany below the legal age.

Dogs subjected to cruelty and mutilations such as ear cropping and dogs bred with exaggerated features such as very short muzzles and excessive skin folds.

One seller on a UK Facebook page (which listed the kennel as located in Moldova but subsequently advised the puppies would come from neighbouring Romania) advertised Presa Canario puppies with cropped ears which is an illegal practice in the UK.

Admins placed group rules in the 'About' section banning puppy sales but then approved such posts from members. In some groups, admins advised on how to bypass Meta's terms and policies, often suggesting not to list prices in posts and instead share them via direct messages.

Out of a sample of posts, groups, profiles and Marketplace ads on Facebook and Instagram reported by FOUR PAWS for suspicious activity, only 3% of reported content was removed by Meta.

We believe this research exposes only a snapshot of the puppy trading likely taking place across Meta’s platforms, indicating a widespread and thriving private trade of puppies.