Puppy Sales Contracts

[Elaine]

This was on the AKC Legislative Liaisons list and worth noting - even if you aren't in Virginia.

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**permission to forward as appropriate* *


We have reason to believe that HSUS is collecting puppy sale contracts from Virginia breeders. We suggest that if your contract is on your website, remove it. If you receive an inquiry requesting your contract, be sure you check out the purchaser before providing it. Do not provide it to anyone without an interview and approval process.

Sharyn Hutchens
Legislative Liaison
Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders

[Elaine]

The subject of contracts is interesting. Do you use them, if so, where did you get yours and have you ever had to go to court to enforce them?

I seem to be in court more than most people... and have had to sue to enforce a dog related contract... we won... but the litigation raised more questions than it resolved.

[Sheila]

My husband had made one up but since he passed I have looked at a number of other people's and come up with a new one. It's fairly straight forward and easy for buyers to understand.

Sheila

[Kissntell]

I use to have one.

A lawyer told me that you can write all the contracts you want. If the contract does not work with the state law and what the court's find as reasonable they will be hard to enforce.

Half the time, if you get to court, you are not in front of a judge that knows little about values, money worth, etc in the show world. He also told me that.

Litigation can cost tons of money. A lot of people know that. Which then makes a contract less likely to be enforceable.

I really don't like getting into any contracts myself. I always do what is best for the dog and my ownership in the past has proved that.

I always take puppies I produced back and that is it.