Listing animals

Listing animals for sale

Animals are listed under several different categories, depending on the type of animal and its overall purpose. You may only list in one category.

Our 'Pets & animals' category covers animals for mainly indoor/domestic use, e.g. dogs, cats and birds.

Animals in this category (except fish, mice and rats, chinchillas, bearded dragons, and turtles) can be listed as classified only. There is a listing fee, but there are no success fees. Cats and dogs can either be sold (a listing fee applies) or given away for free (no cost to list).

Fish, mice and rats, chinchillas, bearded dragons, and turtles can only be sold by auction.

Please check our restrictions on the sale of pets and animals. Some breeds of dogs are not permitted to be sold on the site, and this advice from the Ministry of Primary Industries about what age animals should be sold.

Livestock can be listed as either a classified or auction. Examples of livestock include cattle, deer, goats, llamas, alpacas, pigs and sheep. There is a listing fee, but there are no success fees.

Horses & ponies are listed under 'Equestrian' as classifieds only. There is a listing fee but there are no success fees.

Listing limits

Litter listings for cats and dogs will be limited to eight animals per listing.

In a 12 month period, members will be able to list (for sale) a maximum of five dog litters per year, or six cat litters, or a total of 40 cats or dogs. 

Note: There will be no cap on the number of cats and dogs listed to be re-homed in the adoption categories.

Selling multiple livestock

If you have two or more livestock animals for sale which:

• are not the same type e.g. one cow and one pig, and/or
• are different breeds e.g. one Friesian calf and one Hereford calf.

They need to be listed separately. However, if you have a herd of cows that are all of similar ages and are the same breed, they may be listed together.

Multiple livestock listed together may be offered with a price per head, provided they meet the criteria above.

Selling multiple pets and horses

If you have two or more companion animals or horses for sale they need to be listed on separate listings unless they:

• are being rehomed together to the same home, and/or
• are from the same litter and are of a similar price.

Listing a cat or dog in the ‘to adopt’ categories

There’s no listing fee for cats or dogs listed in this category, provided the animal can be adopted for free, or is listed by an organisation that has been approved by Trade Me.

If you’re an approved organisation you can recover the costs associated with things like providing temporary housing to these animals until new homes are found, vaccinations, microchipping, or de-sexing animals etc. To become an approved organisation, you need to register and be approved by the Trade Me team – flick us an email at: animalwelfare@trademe.co.nz.

Multiple animals in a listing

You can only list multiple animals in one listing if they’re part of one litter, or if the animals in the listing are being re-homed together. Otherwise you’ll need to create a separate listing for each animal – it’s free to do this. You may also state in your listing body that you have more animals available.

Removing your listing once your animal has been re-homed

Once you’ve found a new home for your cat or dog, please remove the listing from Trade Me. This helps prospective adopters with their search by only have listings on the site for animals that still need homes.

If you are looking to adopt an animal check out our blog.

Code of Animal Welfare

When listing a dog or cat on Trade Me, members have the opportunity to disclose that the animal meets our Code of Animal Welfare. 

The Code has been introduced to improve animal welfare outcomes. You can read about why it came into being here.

During the listing process, a box is checked to confirm this is the case. By ticking this box, you're confirming compliance with the code as follows: 

Dogs

I confirm I have read the full Trade Me Code of Animal Welfare and the animal I am listing meets the Code’s requirements.

I understand that any misrepresentation made in respect of compliance with the Code could amount to an offence under the Fair Trading Act 1986 and result in my membership being restricted or terminated by Trade Me.

I confirm that the animal(s) I am listing:

• Are in good health.
• Have been raised and cared for in accordance with the Animal Welfare (Dogs) Code of Welfare 2010.
• Have had the required vaccinations for their age
• Are current with treatments for parasites (worms and fleas). 

If I am listing a puppy I confirm:

• The puppy will not be released to the new owner before they are a minimum of 8 weeks old.
• The puppy has been weaned and has been assessed by a registered veterinarian and has veterinary record to show this. This veterinary record should be made available to new owners at the time the puppy is released. We encourage new owners to request this record*.  
• The mother has been cared for in accordance with the Animal Welfare (Dogs) Code of Welfare 2010.
• At the time of breeding the mother was in good health and physical condition and had a favourable temperament.
• The mother was between 1 and 6 years at age of conception, has had no more than 3 litters in her lifetime and has not had more than two caesarean sections.
• Post-delivery the mother has been kept up to date with de-worming and other parasitic treatments.
• The puppy has been socialised with humans, vaccinated dogs and has had a range of novel experiences from three weeks of age.

I confirm that in the listing body I will disclose:

• If the puppy or its parents have had any surgery to correct inheritable problems.
• Any known breed specific potential hereditary problems.
• If the puppy is the result of a mating of two individuals related within two generations. 

Cats

I confirm I have read the full Trade Me Code of Animal Welfare and the animal I am listing meets the Code’s requirements.

I understand that any misrepresentation made in respect of compliance with the Code could amount to an offence under the Fair Trading Act 1986 and result in my membership being restricted or terminated by Trade Me.

I confirm that the animal(s) I am listing:

• Are in good health
• Have been raised in accordance with the Animal Welfare (Cats) Code of Welfare 2007.
• Have had the required vaccinations for their age
• Are current with treatments for parasites (worms and fleas). 

If I am listing a kitten I confirm:

• The kitten has been weaned and has been assessed by a registered veterinarian and has veterinary record to show this. This veterinary record should be made available to new owners at the time the kitten is released. We encourage new owners to request this record*.
• The mother has been cared for in accordance with the Animal Welfare (Cats) Code of Welfare 2007.
• At the time of breeding the mother was in good health and physical condition and had a favourable temperament.
• The mother was between 9 months and 7 years at age of conception, has had no more than 6 litters in her lifetime and has not had more than two caesarean sections.
• Post-delivery the mother has been kept up to date with de-worming and other parasitic treatments.
• The kitten has interacted with humans and been socialised from three weeks of age.
• Are a minimum of 8 weeks old.

I confirm that in the listing body I will disclose:

• If the kitten or its parents have had any surgery to correct inheritable problems.
• Any known breed specific potential hereditary problems.
• If the kitten is the result of a mating of two individuals related within two generations.