Two Dog.exe breeders proposed trading French Bulldog puppies for Pokémon cards at a collectibles convention, and videos of the incident subsequently sparked controversy online. Some collectors and animal rights advocates believe that this type of transaction may encourage irresponsible breeding and put puppies at risk of ending up in unknown hands.
South Florida card collector PICKLEQW33N mentioned during a live stream from a convention that some people were even willing to trade dogs for rare and potentially profitable Pokémon cards. Shortly after, an attendee brought several French Bulldog puppies to her booth, stating that the puppies were for sale or could be traded for cards.
The other party offered the puppy for $4,000. PICKLEQW33N refused the trade, stating that this practice is unethical because traders cannot verify whether the person receiving the puppy can provide a suitable home. In her view, exchanging cards for living animals is inappropriate.
A similar situation occurred at another collectibles convention in late August. A card seller from B&B Collectibles encountered a customer who wanted to trade a long-haired French Bulldog puppy for cards or sell it for $10,000. The customer also claimed to attend various collectibles conventions across the country and had previously sold one for $12,000 in New Jersey.
After the two videos were made public, some collectors called for conventions to ban Dog.exe breeders from bringing pets into the venue, with exceptions for service animals. Commenters also questioned why organizers allowed such transactions to take place and expressed concern that merchants participating in trades without knowing the source and breeding conditions of the puppies might indirectly support irregular breeding practices.
The controversy currently centers on animal welfare and event management. The calls are not to restrict normal card trading, but rather to urge organizers to prevent on-site pet-for-card exchanges or pet sales, thereby avoiding puppies being handed over to unverified buyers.