Some advertisers whose campaigns are rejected on Meta Ads occasionally see a message on their ad platform stating that the rejection is due to non-compliance with rules related to the sale of animals, both endangered and non-endangered species. This article will explain what this Meta Ads rule entails.
Purpose of the Rule
The purpose of this rule is to prevent the sale of animals (whether endangered or not), as well as to regulate the specific conditions under which ads related to domestic animals can be published.
Examples of What the Rule Prohibits
This rule prohibits advertisers from performing the following actions:
-Promoting, offering, or giving away products derived from threatened, endangered, or extinct species.
-Encouraging the poaching of threatened or endangered species.
-Providing instructions for using or creating products derived from threatened or endangered species, or parts thereof.
-Promoting the sale of live animals that are not endangered. For example, the sale of pets such as dogs and cats.
Exceptions to the rule
There are some exceptions to this rule. For example, advertisements related to pets will only be permitted in the following cases:
-Promoting or offering live animals that are not endangered only in the context of donations, rehoming, or adoptions.
-Promoting live animals that are not endangered, offered by legitimate businesses such as retailers, breeders, auctions, animal relocation services, or shelters.
-Promoting the sale of an animal for a religious offering or livestock.
-Promoting or offering a reward for lost pets, such as dogs or cats.
-Promoting the sale of animal products for human consumption, such as fish, eggs, and unpasteurized dairy products.
-Veterinary services (medical care for pets).
-Pet spa services.
-Pet food and accessories.
Who is affected by this rule?
This rule affects all individuals or companies that sell animals or provide animal-related services (whether domestic, exotic, or endangered). While it’s clear that ads featuring endangered animals are 100% prohibited, some businesses involving domestic or exotic animals could still violate this rule, especially if they are not careful. For example, some affected businesses may include:
-Veterinarians who sell domestic animals.
-Veterinarians who claim to treat exotic animals.
-Individuals who sell domestic animals.
-Exotic animal transport services.
-Exotic animal spa services.
-Food and accessories for exotic animals.
Difference between a domestic animal, an exotic animal, and an endangered animal
Some Meta Ads restrictions arise from a lack of understanding of the term “exotic.” Below, I will mention the main differences between a domestic animal, an exotic animal, and an endangered animal.
Domestic Animal
A domestic animal is one that has been domesticated by humans over several generations. These animals typically live in close contact with people, depend on them, and have undergone genetic changes (through artificial selection) that make them more docile, less aggressive, and better suited to living with people, whether for companionship, work, or food. They can generally reproduce in captivity. Some examples of domestic animals include dogs, cats, cows, horses, chickens, sheep, and domestic rabbits. It is important to note that these animals are legal and do not require special permits.
Exotic Animal
An exotic animal is one that is not native to the region where it is found and is generally not domesticated. These animals usually come from other continents or ecosystems and are kept as pets, in zoos, breeding facilities, or exhibition centers. They retain much of their wild behavior (instincts, specific habitat, food, and space requirements). Some examples of these animals include iguanas, pythons, Amazon parrots, ferrets, monkeys, tarantulas, and African hedgehogs. It is important to note that owning them often requires special permits and advanced knowledge. It should also be noted that not all exotic animals are endangered, as many are legally bred in captivity (for example, in a zoo).
Endangered Animal
An endangered animal is one whose species and population have declined to such an extent that it faces a high risk of disappearing in the wild (according to lists such as the IUCN or CITES). This classification generally depends not on whether the animal is domestic or exotic, but on its conservation status. The main causes are habitat destruction, poaching, climate change, illegal trafficking, pollution, etc. Some examples of these animals are: the tiger, giant panda, black rhinoceros, lemur, vaquita porpoise, harpy eagle, some parrots, and turtles. It is important to note that their trade, capture, and possession are highly regulated or prohibited internationally.
The Problem with the Word “Exotic”
The problem many veterinary clinics specializing in certain animals (such as birds, rabbits, cows, or horses) face is that they use the word “exotic” to indicate that they treat animals “different” from traditional dogs or cats. As we can see, this can be counterproductive for advertising purposes, since these animals are considered domestic animals.
While an animal can be exotic and not endangered, the term “exotic” tends to be frowned upon by Meta or simply undergoes a more rigorous review process.
Professional Experience with this Standard
In my professional experience with this standard, I can say that this issue generally affects many veterinary practices that publicly mention treating “exotic” animals (to explain that they treat birds, rabbits, or farm animals). This standard also creates problems when a veterinary practice focuses on selling dogs or cats instead of providing veterinary medical care.
I have also noticed that some animals are a bit more difficult to promote in relation to the standard, such as parrots or turtles, since many of these animals fall under the “exotic” category, but only some breeds actually qualify as “endangered.”
For example, a Russian tortoise (common land tortoise) or a red-eared slider (another common tortoise) is not endangered, and it is legal to own them, while a Galapagos tortoise is an endangered species and it is illegal to own it. Although they are very different species, using the word “tortoise” can trigger alerts in the Meta Ads review system, potentially jeopardizing the ads of a veterinary practice that treats these types of animals. If we add the word “exotic” to the ad, the situation can become even more complicated. Therefore, I recommend exercising caution when promoting veterinary services of this kind. For example, a better way to promote these services would be to emphasize the type of tortoise (common land tortoise) and avoid using the word “exotic” in a business context.
What do you think about this rule? Have you had any problems with this rule?
If you’d like to learn more about Meta Ads’ advertising guidelines, I recommend my video course, “Meta Ads Guidelines.” For more information about the course (program or student testimonials), please visit the following link.
Image by Luca Ambrosi via Unsplash.com under a Creative Commons license.