Cybersquatting dispute for Mexican domain name — Puma loses

Domain owner has a portfolio of animal-themed domain names.

Shoe and athleticwear firm Puma has lost a cybersquatting claim it filed against the name puma.com.mx.

.Mx is Mexico’s country code. Puma is active in the country and uses the subdomain mx.puma.com.

Gil Rodriguez, who lives in Miami, registered the domain for potential resale. He stated he maintains a portfolio of domain names, counting many that are animal names.

A notice right now on puma.com.mx states that he owns dogs.com.mx, eagle.com.mx, gorilla.com.mx, and many more animal names in both English and Spanish.

World Intellectual Property Organization panelist Luis C. Schmidt wrote (translated):

What emerges from the record, in this case, is a business model consisting of maintaining a portfolio of domain names composed of dictionary words, counting animal names, without it being established that this model is specifically directed against the Complainant or against trademark owners generally, or that the Respondent actively sought to offer the disputed domain name to the Complainant or its competitors.

Schmidt determined that Puma failed to show the domain was registered and used in bad faith and that Rodriguez lacked rights or legitimate interests in the domain name.