# Any suggestions on how 2 get a down deposit back on a puppy I've decided to not get?



## zephercan (May 4, 2011)

Hello...

I put a 300 down deposit on a puppy out of state. While waiting for the puppy to be 8 weeks I found a different puppy that will be a better fit for our family.
All of her puppies go quick. I know when she puts the puppy back up for adoption that she will adopt it with no problems. (he's almost 7 weeks old now)
I do understand the nature of down deposits and that they are usually non-refundable.
I am financially challenged so I would greatly appreciate any tips on how I might be able to get it back or at least some of it back.
I payed through Pay Pal if that makes any difference.
Thanks for reading this
Chris


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## morningbirds (Oct 4, 2010)

Have you talked to the breeder?


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## marsha=whitie (Dec 29, 2008)

Did they say whether the deposit was refundable or not?


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## EscVelocity (Mar 31, 2011)

You can always request a refund through pay pal. Does the breeders page specify no refunds on deposits? If you didn't sign anything or the no refund policy was posted inconspicuously you can always attempt to get your money back through small claims court as well. Like the above poster said though, I would try to ask the breeder for a refund first.


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## Wimble Woof (Jan 16, 2007)

As a breeder there is a real reason we ask for these deposits and that is to prevent this last minute back out from happening, usually when someone puts a deposit on a puppy they are 100% serious about that puppy. The deposit holds your pup so that no one else can buy it, hence the breeder may have turned away others. However, if they have a large enough waiting list of approved homes there may not be a problem refunding you your money and offering your pup to the next person on the list.
If it was a non refundable deposit, I think you will be out of luck and if you financially can take a breeder to small claims court it would probably end up costing you more.

Try talking to the breeder about it first though before trying to find a way to get the money back in another way.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

I agree. I think that most breeders are trying to protect themselves with the deposit. If the breeder was able to adopt out all puppies, or if you could find someone to adopt the pup in place of you, so that the breeder is not stuck with a pup, then I think they might listen to a respectful request for a refund. However, if bridges have been burned, or even if the breeder is a jerk, I think the law is on their side.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

Is this the breeder with the Frenchton pup? I though there were a number of posts on your other thread telling you how to get your deopsit back.


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## dantero (Feb 2, 2011)

I agree with Wimble Woof. The whole point of a deposit is to make sure the buyer is serious, and to reserve your puppy. If the breeder was clear that the deposit is non-refundable, I don't know why you would expect to get it back, or be trying to find a "back door" method to get it back. The whole point of the deposit is that you and the breeder are making a commitment to each other for a puppy, both sides should live up to that commitment. If the breeder wants to refund it, that's their decision, and they are really the only one you can plead your case to. And I have to say, if the breeder spends any time on the internet and sees this thread where you are contemplating trying to get a PayPal refund, small claims court, etc they probably aren't going to be overly interested in working with you, or listening to why they should refund the deposit.

Let's reverse this situation. Say you gave the breeder a deposit, and someone else came along and REALLY wanted to buy your puppy, even offering more money for it than you were going to pay. And yes, it does happen, I have people try this on a semi-regular basis (I won't do it, a deposit is a commitment). If the breeder said "hey, I can make extra, I'm selling the pup to this person instead and I'll just send the first person their deposit back" you would be on here complaining that you didn't get your pup, and trying to find out how to force the breeder to give you the pup.

How fast the breeder can or can't find another buyer for the pup really doesn't come into play here. Depending on how often they breed, they may have already told everyone on the waiting list "sorry, all the pups are spoken for, and I won't have another litter for X months/years" meaning everyone on that list has started looking elsewhere for a pup. And probably been quicker to put down a deposit, so they don't loose out on another pup. But even if they can find a new buyer for the puppy quickly, it still comes down to you made a commitment, you broke that agreement, and there is a penalty attached.


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## GypsyJazmine (Nov 27, 2009)

Usually deposits are non-refundable...Unless the breeder decides to give it back you are probably s.o.l.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

I think it's a bit unfair to the breeder that you would get one of their pups, commit and then just turn around and look for a different breeder. You made a commitment, if the breeder decides that the pup didn't fit you or your reasons for changing your mind are reasonable, they may offer a refund. Otherwise you won't get a refund back because the breeder could have turned down a lot of homes and people because her pups were all reserved, it's not fair to them for you to back out. Unless you had an actual legitimate reason like family problems, somehow unable to have a dog or something like that.


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## RRM_Mom08 (May 5, 2008)

Im with the previous posters, When you place a deposit and it is stated that it is non refundable you go into an agreement with the breeder. I only gave deposit's back to my clients when I decided to keep a puppy (ie a show prospect) or if there was a medical reason to null the sale. But this was stated to the buyer at the time of deposit and done in writing.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Personally, I would simply ask the breeder if there is any way they would be willing to refund it. If not, I'd drop it. That's just the price of changing your mind, lesson learned.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

animalcraker said:


> Is this the breeder with the Frenchton pup? I though there were a number of posts on your other thread telling you how to get your deopsit back.


exactly what I was going to ask.


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## Indigo (Mar 31, 2011)

The deposit isn't to hold a puppy while you look for something better. The deposit is to hold the dog because you've stopped looking and are dead set on getting a puppy from the breeder. This is why it's important to settle all doubts in your mind before you put money down on something (I ask SO many questions before pulling out the wallet). The money can aide in getting the dog vetted and ready for you to take home, and separates the serious people from the wafflers.

If you don't want the puppy, please tell your breeder immediately, but don't expect that you'll get the money back. If they have a lot of people wanting their dogs they may refund you. Don't try to cheat them, if you do that no good breeder is going to trust you again, plus it's sneaky and mean.

The only time I would expect a refund is if the deposit was on a specific litter, not an individual dog, and there turned out to be not enough puppies to go around.


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