Schools across the UK have warned parents that some editions of Spy Dog, Spy Pups, and Spy Cats - the much-loved series by author Andrew Cope - include a printed web address that no longer goes where it once did.
According to a BBC News report, the domain was previously linked to the author’s official website but has since fallen under the control of another party. It now leads to adult material, prompting Puffin to pause sales and work with schools, libraries, and retailers to remove affected editions.
The books themselves remain completely wholesome - but this incident highlights a surprisingly modern problem: what happens when a domain name is left to expire.
The Life (and Afterlife) of a Domain Name
When you buy a domain name, you don’t really own it - you rent it. It’s yours for as long as you keep paying the renewal fee.If you forget to renew or decide you no longer need the domain, that digital front door you once controlled can swing wide open to… anyone.
When you stop using a domain, the rest of the internet doesn’t necessarily get the memo. It’s still linked from old marketing materials, news articles, blog posts, QR codes - maybe even the back of a children’s book.
So when the renewal lapses, that online identity doesn’t quietly disappear. It simply becomes available for someone else to buy - and whatever they choose to put there, you can no longer control.
The reason for the expiry in this case hasn’t been confirmed — we don’t know whether it was an accidental lapse or a decision that the domain was no longer needed — but what’s clear is that it did expire, and someone else registered it soon after.
Why Domains Expire (and How Easily It Happens)
Domains often lapse for very ordinary reasons:- Renewal emails go to an outdated address.
- The credit card on file expires.
- The person who handled renewals has left the company.
- Everyone assumes someone else is looking after it.
But once that window closes, it’s fair game for anyone to register — and if your domain still gets traffic, someone probably will.
That’s why at Kualo, we always recommend:
- Enable Auto-Renew: It’s the digital equivalent of setting an alarm that never forgets.
- Keep a Valid Payment Method: Expired cards are the number-one culprit.
- Add Multiple Contacts: So renewal alerts reach others if someone leaves.
- Centralise Your Domains: Don’t scatter renewals across multiple registrars.
- Hold Onto Legacy Domains: Redirect them safely rather than letting them vanish.
The Darker Side of Expired Domains
Here’s where things get murky - and fast.When a domain expires, it doesn’t just float around the internet waiting for you to notice. It becomes a target in a high-speed, automated marketplace.
There are entire systems called “drop-catching” services which are designed to register expired domains the instant they become available. Think of it as eBay on caffeine, where algorithms fight to claim names that still have SEO value, backlinks, or residual traffic.
Some buyers are harmless domain investors. Others are not.
- Some redirect visitors to advertising or affiliate sites.
- Others use expired domains for phishing, spam, or adult content.
- And a few deliberately exploit the trust and reputation the old domain once had.
Unfortunately, by the time it’s “free”, a bot has usually beaten you to it, in milliseconds. Once that happens, your old address is gone for good.
And if it’s printed anywhere, mentioned in the press, or linked from other sites, those clicks could now lead somewhere… very different.
What We Can Learn From This
The Spy Dog incident is unsettling precisely because it wasn’t born of malice - it’s what happens when a little bit of digital housekeeping meets the reality of the modern web.It’s a reminder that domain names aren’t just technical details. They’re tiny trust anchors - and when they slip away, that trust can be instantly repurposed for something else entirely.
So, take five minutes today to check your domain renewal settings:
- Log in to your domain registrar.
- Check your renewal settings.
- Turn on auto-renew.
- Update your card details.
- Add an additional contact so more than one person receives reminders.
