My Girl's breeder has just called to say that a photo of her pups (one of which is now mine and grown up) is being used by multiple sellers on pets4homes and the dogsandpuppies website. The address doesn't fit the postcode and the phone number is not answered. Please be aware of your own photos being used in this way.

Mine got used all the time especially in the USA until I started using watermarks right over their faces. Doesn't stop them but will guarantee that site owner will take them down if challenged.
Many ads on a certain US puppy selling site have my Champion BITCH as father of their non existent puppies.
Having said that a private seller locally had a photo of my champion dog on their ad for pet puppies to "Show people what they will look like" ..yeah right!

All the ads were removed as soon as soon as they were reported, which is good. What is bad is the feeling of helplessness and anger at the cheek of it. I assume that it's a puppy farm? All the ads were supposedly in different parts of the north east and East Midlands.

On bigger puppy sales websites they ask you to prove that you are the owner of the original photos..watermarks are the best way.

Thank you so much for replying, it's much appreciated. Although I have to say I have no idea how to go about a watermark, is it reasonably straightforward?

This has been going on ever since I got the internet

> This has been going on ever since I got the internet<

True.  Years ago a litter of LC Chi's were advertised.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a litter of mine from the previous year.  I imagine they got it from my website. 

I don't know how to do the watermarks either.  Mind you, what can you expect when I don't even understand FB!

Google watermark programs or at least put text of a lighter colour right over a prominent part of the photo....it's almost impossible to remove without messing up the photo.

> True.  Years ago a litter of LC Chi's were advertised.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a litter of mine from the previous year.  I imagine they got it from my website.

I'm going back a few years when the scammers were more prolific than they are now...   I caught out a couple, one was advertising 6 week old Puppies in Essex and the photo was of young pups frolicking in a bright sunny garden, when in fact that part of the UK had been under snow for several weeks.

The other was a photo of some kittens, allegedly in Hertfordshire, with a bottle of soft drink in the background that is only sold in the USA.

Thanks tooolz, I will check it out for future reference. Misusing photos seems as though it's been very common. It just wouldn't cross my mind to do it, I was amazed when someone else did!

This explains why adverts say ' no photo takers'. I think they may be scammers collecting deposits for non-existent pups. Shame on them.