Compliance basics
How Menagerie reviews listings, what these statuses mean, and where responsibility sits.
Menagerie is a marketplace platform
Menagerie operates as a marketplace platform. It is not the seller, the shipper, or the compliance authority for any listing. Compliance checks are a safety layer that flags or blocks higher-risk taxa — they do not guarantee that a listing is legal in any particular location.
Buyers and sellers are responsible for confirming legality before listing, buying, possessing, receiving, or shipping any animal, invertebrate, coral, or plant.
What the compliance statuses mean
Listings are evaluated server-side when created, updated, and published.
- Compliance review required — a listing needs manual review before it can publish.
- Permit documentation required — interstate movement may require a USDA APHIS PPQ 526 permit or similar.
- Shipping restricted — at least one carrier (for example USPS) cannot be used for this taxon.
- State review required — sellers must verify applicable state and local law for this taxon.
- Blocked by marketplace policy / Federally restricted — the listing cannot be offered for normal sale or shipment.
Seller responsibilities
Before publishing, sellers complete compliance certifications confirming lawful possession, compliance with applicable law, and understanding that Menagerie does not guarantee listing legality.
Sellers are responsible for permits, documentation, carrier compliance, and destination restrictions.
Buyer responsibilities
Before checkout, bidding, or offer submission, buyers acknowledge that they are responsible for confirming a listing can be legally purchased, possessed, received, and shipped to their location.