To refund or not

janey254

I am posting on behalf of a friend who is a responsible and registered breeder of great Danes. She sold a puppy to a lovely family with four children who really wanted a GD puppy. the puppy went to the new family at 10 weeks, fully registered, micro chipped and after vetting. However, after just 1 week the family decided that they didn't want the puppy as she was too big for the children !! My friend happily took back the puppy as she has only the best interests of the puppy at heart and is now trying to re-home her. In the meantime, the family are asking for a full refund for the unwanted puppy. My friend is unsure what to do as she has the puppy and all the paperwork returned. the puppy is costing money to feed and vaccinate in the meantime. should a refund be paid to the family minus the costs of caring for her until a new home is found or should no refund be offered ? The family want a full refund but my friend is unsure how to proceed. My friend is a new breeder after having Great Danes as pets for many years and doesn't currently have access to a pc outside of work hours. The job we are in doesn't allow access to outside sites from our work computers ...
Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you

cjmumto2

I personally dont think they should get a full refund, it was their decision to get a GD and really should have done their research, although breeders have to be clear too , to make sure people know what they are getting into. I would refund some of the money though.

Another buyer also will probably not want to pay full price for it having lived in another home for a time. I am not sure myself but think that a compromise should be made

welshmoneylover

janey254 wrote: »

I am posting on behalf of a friend who is a responsible and registered breeder of great Danes. She sold a puppy to a lovely family with four children who really wanted a GD puppy. the puppy went to the new family at 10 weeks, fully registered, micro chipped and after vetting. However, after just 1 week the family decided that they didn't want the puppy as she was too big for the children !! My friend happily took back the puppy as she has only the best interests of the puppy at heart and is now trying to re-home her. In the meantime, the family are asking for a full refund for the unwanted puppy. My friend is unsure what to do as she has the puppy and all the paperwork returned. the puppy is costing money to feed and vaccinate in the meantime. should a refund be paid to the family minus the costs of caring for her until a new home is found or should no refund be offered ? The family want a full refund but my friend is unsure how to proceed. My friend is a new breeder after having Great Danes as pets for many years and doesn't currently have access to a pc outside of work hours. The job we are in doesn't allow access to outside sites from our work computers ...
Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you

Was it in her terms & conditions to offer a full refund?

If not, what I'd be tempted to do and I've read others breeders do this, they charge board & lodge for the pup until it is sold. This amount is deducted (& other costs) from the full price and the balance is left owing to the owners (who should have researched the breed a little bit better, well done to your friend for taking the pup back)

Kimberley

The pup was returned because it was too big for the children. How big did she think Great Danes were? Chihuahua size? lol

She should not get a full refund. She had the pup in her home for a week. Anything could have happened to the dog during that week mentally and physically. She cannot sell that pup at it's full price now and therefore i'd suggest she refund the people only half what they paid because she has lost out if she gives them the full amount they bought it for.

lisawood78

No advice really i'm afraid, just Grrrrr at stupid people who don't look into a breed before taking one on.
Good on you for helping your friend, I hope she can sort it out soon and that the lovely pup finds a new home soon
LW78 (Mum to three Great Danes!)

ali-t

Does your friend have a contract that goes with the pups? This should outline any options in this area but if she doesn't it is something she should do if she breeds again. That way the buyers will know where they stand before they part with any cash.

I have had dogs with various things in the contract and know of other variations by breeders. Very few will give full refunds unless the family start messing them around and saying they will take the dog back and then sell it on. One of my dogs has in his contract that if I rehome the dog I have to pay the breeder £1K as any rehoming has to be done via her so she knows the dog is going to a good home.

Others I know will take off a weekly fee for food and care and also the cost of vaccinations and the previous owner will only get (some) money back once the pup is rehomed i.e. they will get more money if the dog is rehomed in a week than if it takes 2 months. It is also likely that the pup will sell for less the older it gets as slightly older pups are less desirable than younger ones.

In the eyes of the law a dog is counted as property rather than a living being so CAB will be directing the puppy buyers with that in mind if they decide to take things further.

Caroline_a

Why on earth would anyone take on a Dane pup without having done some research first? Giant breeds are not for the first time pet owner, they take a lot of looking after, and you need to be knowledgable about their care and upbringing, let alone the usual interaction and socialisation and training that comes along with any new pup! When I got my first Dane, he was my 4th dog

It makes me so cross, poor little pup, taken from mum to a new home... then thrown out again. I don't think they should have anything back, but I guess if I was being charitable I would say maybe a small percentage of the cost, less the cost of any treatments, vacinnations, worming etc. Oh sod it, I wouldn't give them anything!!!

janey254

Thank you, I am just off to work and I will pass on your replys. I agree with all that has been posted. I will suggest she refunds some money once she has re-homed the puppy minus costs. The pup is gorgeous so I don't think there will be a problem there, and yes, It makes me mad too that some people take on a pet as though it is a toy. Actually my friend said that when the pup came back she was nervous, so after only one week she had obviously been treated badly....
Happily she is settling down again and quite happy to be "home"

shirlgirl2004

I'd query whether your friend should be breeding. With a breed of that size checks on the family need to be even tougher than most. She should also comply with the contract she has. If she doesn't have a contract she clearly hasn't thought it out. These are living animals she's selling not cakes.

devildog

As the pup wasn't 'faulty' then I do not believe that the family should be entitled to a refund, however as a goodwill gesture it may be worth refunding some of the original money paid. Your friend did the right thing in taking back the puppy so relieving the family of their 'problem' but it would be wrong of them to expect a full refund.
As ali-t says the pup is likely to sell for less as it gets older and indeed it may become more difficult to rehome.
Your friend could reasonably 'charge' for daily boarding, vet's fees, travel expenses,phone calls, readvertising, home checks etc.

RufusForever

Both my dogs are from good breeders and I know if anyone returns a puppy to them it is on the understanding that if they then manage to find another home for the puppy then whatever they sell the puppy for that is the amount the original owners will get refunded to them - this might well not be the amount they paid for that puppy in the first place. Neither of them take off money for board/food etc., those costs are just absorbed as part of their work as breeders. To be honest, though, I don't think that should be the priority for the original owners, they should be more concerned that the puppy that they chose and then decided to get rid of will be able to get a good home rather than the money.
I think your friend should have all these things in place before breeding as, unfortunately, things like this can happen.