Please sign this petition to ask Craigslist's CEO to prohibit any ads that offer pets "free to a good home." Since he won't drop pet ads completely, ask him instead to require a nominal re-homing fee to adopt a pet, perhaps $25 or more. Having to pay for a new pet may minimize the number of animals who will be "adopted" and then mistreated for amusement, experimented on, used as bait animals, or otherwise abused.

The recent tragic case of "Puppy Doe," a pit bull adopted via Craigslist, is now well known among animal lovers. Puppy Doe sadly ended up in the hands of unknown persons who tortured her over several weeks or months. Her condition when found was so bad she had to be euthanized. The vet who examined her called it the worst case of abuse she'd ever seen.

Dear Mr. Buckmaster:



Those who have signed this petition, like many other members of the public, were distressed and saddened to learn of the fate of the pit bull known as "Puppy Doe." This young dog, like many others, was adopted via Craigslist.

You've made it clear on your blog that even in the aftermath of "Puppy Doe's" situation, you will not drop pet advertisements for Craigslist. That being the case, we the undersigned ask you to consider another option.

Please prohibit ads that offer pets "free to a good home." Require instead that all pet ads include a re-homing fee of no less than $25.00, to discourage adoption by people who intend to use these animals for all the wrong reasons -- mistreated for amusement, experimentation, bait for dogfighting, and other forms of abuse.

We thank you for giving this matter the attention it deserves.