If someone gave you a depossit on a puppy and then the buyer backed out at the last minute do you give them back the depossit.

Basically it depends what agreement you had in the first place and what you feel you should do. Personally I would refund it, but I do not have a hugely popular breed and know that demand outstrips supply, so I would know I could find the puppy a good home reasonably quickly. I also feel that it is far better for someone to back out before taking the puppy than after a period of ownership.

A deposit is given so that the seller does not sell the puppy. By the same token, because the seller is then going to turn down other prospective buyers the deposit is their guarantee that the buyer does not back out.

If the buyer backs out they should loose their money! No messing, no choices!

Regards, John

That is my opinon too.  Aftr having had 4 time wasters backing out on my first litter over only two pups to sell,a nd having passed on good enquiries to other breeders, and therefore having to re-advertise the pups, I have since taken deposits.

When pups are born I contact those on my waiting list in the order they booked, tell them if they still wish to proceed to send a deposit, after a week if deposits don't arrive I go down to the next person on my list and offer them the reamaining pups, before passing those I cannot help on to other breeders.

Surely a person knows they want a puppy before they part with money? Obviously there are genuine cases and a breeder can relent but they should be the exception, not the rule. If this is not the case, does that mean that breeders can ignore deposits and gazzump the puppy buyer? It cuts both ways.

Regards, John

As a prospective puppy buyer who had paid a deposit, I would expect to lose that deposit if I pulled out of the sale (doesn't that apply to anything else you put a deposit on).  If it was due to unforseeable circumstances that I had to pull out, the I may discuss with the breeder and I would see it as a bonus if they did refund it, I certainly wouldn't expect it.

I don't see the point of taking a deposit if you give it back when the purchaser pulls out. (I never take deposits anyway - and have never paid one either, tho' I have offered)

I think if it was me i would refund the deposit purely because if not you could end up sending a pup into a home where it is not really wanted purely because is was better than losing money.

Sounds silly but even though they would have to shell out more to take the pup, people will think that way.

Andy :)

This might be a silly question, but why take a deposit then Andy? If it means nothing there does not seem any point.

Regards, John

I think you may have a point andy_s80, if they did turn round and say OK I'll take the puppy then I think I would try and compromise by giving them back the deposit less some advertising costs but I suppose at the end of the day, yes I would feel I had to give it back in those circumstances for the sake of the puppy but if that wasn't going to arise I wouldn't give it back, if you can follow that drivelly long sentence :)

I know the person in question and believe the matter has now been resolved, the buyer did want to buy the puppies just so they could get back the depossit but was told no.but if the buyer had been honest in the first place there would not have been a problem.

If you take a deposit of someone then the home and the people would have already passed the home check?
I also take deposits from new owner after they have seen the pups at around 5/6weeks then they go away from me with a  information list  of things to get in ready for there new pup arriving home.

But what if their circumstances change, loss of job etc. do you refund the deposit then?  They may have already passed the home check with no problems. 

I think its down to the reason why they no longer want the pup if it is gen then yes but if its only cus they have got another one from someone else no