I paid a deposit for a certain puppy the rest of the litter was eventually all sold by the time they were old enough to leave mum so what would have been a breeders position had my pup not been available for me to collect. Had suddenly died or had become seriously unwell.
Would I still have had to pay for it
The reason I ask is with foals which cant leave mum for six months if you pay a deposit for the foal and it dies it is a contract to buy and some breeders expect you to insure the foal so if it dies you still pay for it. I have always thought this immoral as the purchaser is out of pocket and has no foal for their trouble if they havent insured it it seems to be tough

no and you probably would of got your depsit back to

Wow, what a question?  If I were the breeder I would return your deposit.  You wouldn't have been able to insure the pup when you paid the deposit, I'm not sure any insurance company would pay out as you don't actually own the puppy until you collect it and all paperwork signed etc.

Tough one and I hope it never happens to anyone.....

Horse breeders really do that? It must be to do with the expense of rearing?

Well as a dog breeder, if that were to happen to a pup I had reared the potential owner would get a full refund and be top of my list for any future litters or I would pass them on with much regret to a colleague.

There is no way I would keep a deposit or charge a waiting puppy owner for a pup they were never going to receive.

I'm pretty sure you'll get the same response from others too. :-)

I appalled that anyone would take money for a pup (or Foal) they can't actually provide, I would have to say return any deposit (tho I don't take one anyway so it wouldn't arise)   and either keep them as top of my next list or pass them on to another breeder.

Have a question about horse breeders.

If they would expect the person buying the foal to pa for it even if it had died, would they also expect the buyer to foot any vets bills before it was ready to leave mum?

I suppose in some ways it depends upon the actual point of sale.  If you buy (and pay for) a foal at foot and you are expected to insure it whilst it 'boards' with the mare's owner (ie until it is old enough to leave) then I can understand why it may work in the way you describe.  Presumably in those circumstances, as the foals owner, you would be expected to contribute to food and vet bills.

Puppies are usually not considered sold, or paid for, until they actually leave the breeders home and are in the possession of the new owner.  Prior to that then they may be 'booked' and a deposit taken but their care is still the responsibility of the breeder.  An exception may be when the breeder holds a puppy prior to export or keeps it for a few extra weeks to fit with the new owners holiday plans.   In that instance the breeder may sell the puppy and transfer ownership at the usual time but have a short term contract to board the puppy.  The new owner may then have insurance in place and pay a boarding fee.

yes you would be liable for all vet bills and any extras to normal so remedial farriery for a foal you had booked. I might add not all horse breeders do this but some do

Same as Ells_Bells.  I would immediately refund any deposit, and wouldn't expect any bills to be paid by the potential owner.

I had a pup, being sold as pet, that developed a hernia at 7 weeks (mum had chewed the cord right up to the tummy, and it bled badly.)  Pup had already been chosen, and I did give the people chance to change their minds.  They had already met him several times, and still wanted him.  Instead of him leaving at 8 weeks, I had the hernia operated on, and he stayed with me for recuperation.  I paid for the operation, and it meant that I actually got a couple of hundred pounds for the pup.

But his care was my responsibility, and I preferred to see to his aftercare myself, and the people he went to had already been vetted, were a smashing family and I knew he would be much loved.  The right home was more important than money.

"The right home was more important than money. "

carnt agree more!!!:-) xx

I had a family that had paid the deposit on 1 of mine and he died at 6 weeks from meningitus.  The family were mortified, it was 1 of the worst phone calls i had to make, i felt as though i hadnt done enough or done something wrong and thats why we lost him.   I offered them the money back as all the pups had been reserved,  I didn't expect them to pay any vet bills either. But in the end with me being such a softy seeing how upset they were I let them have the 1 I was keeping, as i knew it was going to a great home.  I think its only right they should be refunded, they aren't on hand bringing the pup up, so can't be held resposible and sometimes nature does horrible things.  It's also written into my contract when I take the deposit if the pup becomes ill or dies they get a full refund or choice of another if available...It was only in the papers a few years back about a reputable breeder selling their pups 2 or 3 times then telling the potential new owners it had died when it hadnt and keeping the deposits..(there are some sick people around).