Breeder rights - pet owner threatening to take to court action

helenthompy

Hi all

Im struggling to find an answer for my problem, so thought Id see if anyone on here could help? Sorry its a long tale so ill try to keep it short.

I used to breed persian cats, all done properly registered with GCCF etc...

In July 2015 I sold a kitten aged 12 weeks, fully vaccinated so vet checked twice.(A vet would not vaccinate a poorly kitten). At time of selling, the new owner had already visited on a previous occasion to view the kitten. She was given a care sheet, registration details, food toys etc,,, I also explained when I had wormed this kitten (I started the progamme a week later due to kitten being on the small side) and gave her a worming tablet for the next time she was due.
New owner took kitten and sent various updates on facebook and whatsapp for a number of months. All was well and she was happy showing off her new cat and never mentioned any health problems. The owner was aware that I was ending my breeding hobby that year too.
In 2016 Facebook closed down my cattery account as they said it did not relate to a person.
I stopped using whatsapp around Jan 2016.
As a means of contact, the owner also has my personal email address and my home address but i have never had any contact this way from owner.
September 2017 I receive an angry message on facebook from owner, telling me her cat has IBD and that i must have known when I sold her the kitten as I gave her a worming tablet and that the vets bills are ridiculous.
She is threatening to take me to court over 2 years later, having not once told me of this problem. She now claims the kitten was bleeding from day 1, but she never once told me this. Having looked at her facebook account it states the cat was diagnosed with this problem in Sept 2016, over a year after owning the cat.
If the kitten was poorly I would never have rehomed her, and if the owner had told me this at the time, I would have offered to have the cat back.
I feel this is attempt to try to get some money out of me, because the cat has developed this condition, which sadly I could never have forseen.
ive read about consumer rights but it is not easy to find an answer.
I was not a business I was a hobby breeder (id have been hugely in the negative if i was) and bred for the pleasure of showing, breeding and owning my pets.
What if any grounds does this person have?
Thank you

gazapc

I don't have any specific advice but if you have supporting evidence from their Facebook posts etc...then get screen shots of them incase they are deleted.

The GCCF may also be able to assist if you are registered with them?

My layman's POV is they have little to stand on anyway.

LusciousLuce

Get her vet to write a statement. If they can state that the cat has had IBD from the first time they saw it (presumably shortly after purchase) and/or in their professional opinion the cat has had IBD since before she took ownership, thenyiu can start a dialogue regarding her threats of legal action.

But without professional evidence, what can she possibly produce in court? Nothing!

Sorry you're going through this but my advice - don't sweat it unless she can produce professional evidence.

teddysmum

It sounds very much like a case of trying it on and of course the worming tablet excuse is ridiculous. I wonder whether she, in fact carried on worming, as a bleeding disorder can be caused by worms or perhaps she used the 'big name' brands from shops which a vet once said were ineffective.


I can't see that she can prove anything, without documentation going back to her purchase.


Perhaps,you could take the cat back (no refund), if she is more interested in money than the cat's wellbeing.

Comms69

helenthompy wrote: »

Hi all

Im struggling to find an answer for my problem, so thought Id see if anyone on here could help? Sorry its a long tale so ill try to keep it short.

I used to breed persian cats, all done properly registered with GCCF etc...

In July 2015 I sold a kitten aged 12 weeks, fully vaccinated so vet checked twice.(A vet would not vaccinate a poorly kitten). At time of selling, the new owner had already visited on a previous occasion to view the kitten. She was given a care sheet, registration details, food toys etc,,, I also explained when I had wormed this kitten (I started the progamme a week later due to kitten being on the small side) and gave her a worming tablet for the next time she was due.
New owner took kitten and sent various updates on facebook and whatsapp for a number of months. All was well and she was happy showing off her new cat and never mentioned any health problems. The owner was aware that I was ending my breeding hobby that year too.
In 2016 Facebook closed down my cattery account as they said it did not relate to a person.
I stopped using whatsapp around Jan 2016.
As a means of contact, the owner also has my personal email address and my home address but i have never had any contact this way from owner.
September 2017 I receive an angry message on facebook from owner, telling me her cat has IBD and that i must have known when I sold her the kitten as I gave her a worming tablet and that the vets bills are ridiculous.
She is threatening to take me to court over 2 years later, having not once told me of this problem. She now claims the kitten was bleeding from day 1, but she never once told me this. Having looked at her facebook account it states the cat was diagnosed with this problem in Sept 2016, over a year after owning the cat.
If the kitten was poorly I would never have rehomed her, and if the owner had told me this at the time, I would have offered to have the cat back.
I feel this is attempt to try to get some money out of me, because the cat has developed this condition, which sadly I could never have forseen.
ive read about consumer rights but it is not easy to find an answer.
I was not a business I was a hobby breeder (id have been hugely in the negative if i was) and bred for the pleasure of showing, breeding and owning my pets.
What if any grounds does this person have?
Thank you

You owe nothing, just ignore it

Soot2006

It sounds like someone trying it on.

It is clearly her cat and has been her cat from baby. It's totally standard to send kitten or puppy home with a wormer and it's ridiculous that she thinks otherwise. What is she expecting from you? Cost of the cat (whatever a 2-yo cat is worth; certainly not the cost of a kitten any more!). Refund of vet bills? Ridiculous - her decision to not insure/pay the bills/not have the cat put down instead/etc. Future vet bills? She can jog on!

Still a stressful situation though and you have my sympathy.

ElusiveLucy

If what she says is true and the problem existed from day 1 why did it take her 2 years to contact you?

She's realised how expensive owning a cat can be when the are taken ill and not properly insured and is trying it on!

w06

Not your responsibility she is trying it on.

Sounds as though she's just discovered that with the pleasure of pets comes responsibilities. Any court action would go nowhere, she'd have to prove that there was an issue from day one and that you knew about it and didn't tell her.

You presumably have access to the records of the kitten when you took it to be vaccinated? They'd be in your favour, worth giving your vet a call, that should be enough to stop the owner in their tracks

TBagpuss

I think she's trying it on.
I'd take a screen shot of the facebook post about the diagnosis.
Cats and other animals on't come with guarantees. If she discovered a serious illness in the fits month or so it might have been reasonable to ask you to take the cat back, but after 2 years!?