Disgusted Zara McDermott fights back tears after seeing a CAT being sold on second-hand clothing app Vinted
ZARA McDemott choked back tears after seeing a cat for sale on second-hand clothes app Vinted.
The former Love Island and Strictly Come Dancing star, who has two Ragdoll kitties of her own, took to her Instagram Stories clearly upset with the sick listing.
Zara, 27, whose face was red from crying, was seen filming her rant in bed in her pyjamas.
She told the camera how the incident was “so sad” and she had “sat here crying” in her sheets.
The BBC documentary-maker continued: “I’ve just seen someone was selling their cat – their cat – their adult cat not kittens on Vinted.
“I’m just actually in shock, I am really upset by it.
“I’m aware that people sell their animals online – I do get it – and I’m aware that people breed and sell kittens and puppies I’m aware that that’s a thing.
“But selling your adult cat on Vinted because you don’t fancy having it any more, and also the cat wasn’t micro chipped wasn’t neutered or nothing.
“How are people allowed to own animals if they’re not willing to put in a little bit of effort to take care of it?
“It’s so not hard to take care of a cat.”
Close to tears again she added: “It makes me so sad someone could do that to a cat, I just want to adopt it.”
In her caption, she confessed she had been “crying for five minutes.”
While pet care items, such as accessories and toys, are permitted to be sold on Vinted, live animals are not.
The company states on its website that banned sales are: “Illegal items: any goods or materials the possession, trading, selling, posting, carriage or production of which is prohibited by any applicable law, rule or regulation.
“Such as: Restricted Items: items that are either not clothing, do not relate to fashion, beauty, accessorising, children, homeware, or simply do not align with the Vinted vision.
“Unsafe items: items that do not comply with hygiene standards, or may pose health or safety risks.”
Why I hate Vinted, a real-life view
Fabulous Associate Editor Sarah Barns opens up on why she hates Vinted:
It’s the king of second-hand fashion but I hate Vinted.
There I said it. Yes, it stops items going into landfill. Yes, it helps create additional side-hustle income for many.
And yes, you can get things at bargain prices. But it is just not my (shopping) bag.
From personal experience, I’ve bought ‘cheap’ bundles of children’s clothes only for them to arrive dirty and misshapen.
Plus, with postage and buyer protection they didn’t feel like such a great deal. I much prefer going to my local charity shop or supermarket for kids’ stuff.
I’ve also bought more premium high-street items – a dress from Arket and a skirt from Cos – only to find they didn’t fit properly and the colours were faded.
I attempted a bout of selling stuff but gave up after my £110 Veja trainers got lost in the post and I spent two hours on the phone to Royal Mail.
A major gripe with it is that it still encourages you to spend, spend, spend. I’m not sure I needed the items I did purchase, I just didn’t want to miss out.
Also, the reselling of fast-fashion items – a £5 Shein top on Vinted for £17.50 – makes me feel a bit queasy.
Clothes shopping has become a daily hobby for a lot of people when really it should be something that’s done once or twice a year as a necessity.
But the 18 million Vinted app users clearly disagree with me.
Under the restricted items category, the company additionally clarifies “Live animals, pets and living plants” are banned from sale.
The Sun has gone to Vinted for comment.
CAT CALAMITY
Last year, Zara revealed her “breakdown” as her pets Albus and Cedric went missing.
She shares the duo with her Made In Chelsea boyfriend Sam Thompson and they were eventually found in an electrical cupboard in the basement.
In 2022, she again broke down in tears as she revealed that her cat had gone missing after Sam left the front door open.
Meanwhile, Zara recently admitted she uses her cat camera to “spy” on her man.