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Lyst Is ‘Selling’ Dogs Like Accessories, and People Are Pissed

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Corgis, apparently, are now for sale on Lyst. Photo: Lyst
Corgis, apparently, are now for sale on Lyst. Photo: Lyst

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April Fools' Day has come and gone, but a more than a few people are questioning the authenticity of a new marketing stunt from the e-commerce startup Lyst. The site announced on Tuesday the launch of a "Canine Collection," which is not a range of accessories for pooches. Oh yes: shoppers can now purchase pups online through Lyst for as low as $320.

While it's easy to see how this sort of project might be construed as cheeky and cute — as with any other product category, you can filter 33 dog breeds by type (gundog, hound, toy, terrier), color, and size — the copy is more than a little icky. The website refers to the dogs as "one of a kind accessories guaranteed to make an impact," suggesting shoppers "find the right dog to match your wardrobe from our curated selection of breeds that are as stylish as they are loveable."

Obviously, people are pissed. Dogs are family, not accessories. And adopting a rescue, rather than going through a certified breeder like this, is always a good route.

Update: This was, as many people had hoped, a hoax. Given the wave of vitriolic tweets Lyst received this morning, it certainly elicited a lot of social media pickup — if not much goodwill toward the company.