BuyAPet.co.uk – Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 2 September 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to BuyAPet.co.uk – the UK pet marketplace. These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) explain the rules for using our website and services. By creating an account, posting an advert, contacting another user, or otherwise using BuyAPet.co.uk (the “Site”), you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Site. For any questions, contact us at info@buyapet.co.uk.

2. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. Changes take effect when published on this page. You are responsible for checking this page regularly. Continued use of BuyAPet.co.uk means you accept the updated Terms.

3. Who We Are

BuyAPet.co.uk is a UK online pet marketplace where users can advertise, buy, and rehome pets. We are not a party to transactions between users and we do not vet advertisers or animals.

4. Eligibility & Accounts

• You must be 18+ to use BuyAPet.co.uk.
• One account only – duplicate or shared accounts are not allowed.
• This is a UK-only website – accounts and adverts must be for users and animals in the UK. Non-UK activity may result in termination without refund.
• You must provide accurate, up-to-date details. We may ask you to verify your address.
• Keep your password secure. Do not share your login details.
• We may suspend or terminate accounts at our discretion.

5. Your Responsibilities

• No VPNs, fake names, or false locations (this may lead to permanent ban without refund).
• No hacking, scraping, spamming, or bypassing security.
• No copying, reverse engineering, or imitation of our website.
• No offensive usernames or impersonation.
• Follow all UK animal welfare and licensing laws.
• Use the Site lawfully and respectfully.

6. Communications, Payments & Safety

• All communications (email, phone, live chat) are at your own risk.
• You must view the pet in person before sending money.
• BuyAPet.co.uk cannot recover lost funds or share another user’s personal details.
• If you open links sent via messages or email, you do so at your own risk.
• Use our internal messaging system for safety. We may block or filter suspicious activity.

7. Advertising Rules (General)

• Only advertise pets you own (unless clearly on behalf of a registered charity).
• Adverts must be accurate, in the correct category, and transparent.
• Pets must meet minimum ages before rehoming:
  • Dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets: 8 weeks+
  • Chinchillas: 12 weeks+
  • Foals: 6 months+
• Litter adverts must include a photo of the litter with their mother.
• Pets must be located in the UK.
• Imported pets under 6 months cannot be advertised. Older imported pets must state their country of origin.
• No pregnant pets.
• No swaps, gifts, or exchanges for goods.
• No courier or delivery – pets must be collected from the home where the mother lives.
• No large-scale commercial breeding (even if licensed).
• Advertisers and buyers must be 18+.

8. Dogs & Cats – Specific Rules

• Dogs must be microchipped from 8 weeks.
• Rescue pets from abroad may only be advertised by UK-registered charities, if currently in the UK with full documentation.
• Puppies/kittens must be shown with their mother (and father if possible). Litter = one advert.
• No adverts using terms like “Teacup”, “Micro”, “Big-Rope”, “Designer” (unless a recognised miniature pedigree breed).
• No banned breeds (including crossbreeds): Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, XL Bully.
• No cropped-ear dogs.
• No stud/mating adverts for pets under 12 months.
• No adverts selling pets purely for breeding purposes.
• No double dapple or double merle dogs.
• If registered (e.g., Kennel Club, GCCF), state this and provide paperwork.

9. Other Animals – Specific Rules

• No vertebrates advertised as food.
• CITES Annex A species must include a valid Article 10 certificate.
• No primates.
• No wild-caught animals or those under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.
• No adverts for Anacondas, Burmese Pythons, Reticulated Pythons, African Rock Pythons, Spider Morphs, or Enigma Morphs.
• Horses must be microchipped and have a passport. Riders in photos must wear safety gear.

10. Breeding & Licences

• Breeders must state this clearly in adverts. We may report to local authorities.
• Pet shop licence holders may only advertise puppies/kittens if they bred them in the UK with a valid licence.
• Scotland: breeding 3+ litters of kittens per year requires a Scottish cat breeder licence.

11. Content & Intellectual Property

All text, logos, and layouts belong to us or our licensors. By uploading content (photos, videos), you grant BuyAPet.co.uk a royalty-free, worldwide licence to use it for promotional purposes. You must not copy, reverse engineer, or use our content without permission.

12. Data Protection & Privacy

We comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. See our Privacy Policy for details.

13. Cookies

We use cookies to improve user experience and website performance. By using BuyAPet.co.uk, you agree to cookie use as described in our Privacy Policy.

14. Messaging & Advertisers

• We do not verify advertiser claims – you must do your own checks.
• Always view pets in person before paying.
• Never send deposits or payments online without meeting the seller.
• Misuse of messaging (spam, scams, abuse) may result in account suspension.

15. Payments & Refunds

• Payments for adverts are normally non-refundable.
• No refunds if:
  • Your advert gets no responses.
  • You change your mind.
  • You break our rules.
  • Site downtime/maintenance occurs.
• Refunds may be offered only if we fail to provide the service (e.g. advert not published due to a technical fault).

16. Availability

We do not guarantee the Site will always be online, uninterrupted, or error-free. We may suspend or withdraw parts of the Site at any time.

17. Disclaimers

BuyAPet.co.uk is provided “as is”. Advice on the Site is general – you should get independent advice. We are not responsible for loss of data, devices, or systems.

18. Limitation of Liability

• We are not liable for losses from scams, third-party links, or user behaviour.
• Our maximum liability to you for direct losses is £20.
• We are not liable for indirect losses (profit, goodwill, etc.).
• We do not exclude liability for death, injury, or fraud caused by our negligence.

19. Links to Other Websites

We may link to external sites. We do not control them and are not responsible for their content. Read their terms before using.

20. Complaints

If you have a complaint, contact us with details. We will investigate and take reasonable steps but cannot guarantee resolution of disputes between users.

21. Account Suspension/Termination

We may suspend or close accounts without notice. Refunds will not be given where you breach our Terms. On closure, personal data and photos may be permanently deleted.

21A. User-Initiated Account Closure

You may close your account at any time directly from your user dashboard. To do this, go to Account Settings, select Close Account, and confirm when prompted. Once confirmed, your account and all associated adverts will be closed immediately.

Closing your account will deactivate all active listings and remove your access to the dashboard. Certain information may be retained where legally required or for legitimate business purposes, such as fraud prevention, dispute resolution, and financial record-keeping.

22. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.

23. Definitions

• Account: Your registered profile with BuyAPet.
• Advert: A listing you post.
• Content: Any text, image, or video uploaded.
• User: Any person or business using the Site.
• We/Us: BuyAPet.co.uk.

24. Linking, Frames & Comments

• Certain organisations (e.g. government agencies, search engines, news outlets) may link to us without approval.
• Others may request permission by emailing info@buyapet.co.uk.
• Links must not be deceptive or imply endorsement.
• No use of our logo/artwork for linking without permission.
• No iframes or frames that alter the look of our Site.
• We are not responsible for content on websites that link to us.
• If your website displays comments about BuyAPet, you must ensure they are lawful, non-defamatory, and respect third-party rights.