Your new puppy should be healthy as well as cute.
Puppy lemon laws were enacted to give buyers recourse in the event of a bad purchase. An increase of sick or dying puppies being sold from mall and independent pet stores led many states to adopt Puppy Lemon Laws. These laws require breeders to use a contract that protects the buyer and the seller. As of 2010, Washington had not yet enacted a Puppy Lemon Law, so choose a reputable breeder and purchase your puppy only after signing a purchase contract.
Bad Purchases- What You Can Do
As of 2010, Washington doesn't have a Puppy Lemon Law, so if you have purchased a puppy and run into problems, here is what you can do:
Talk to the seller about what's happened; a reputable seller should choose to refund or replace the puppy. If you didn't draw up a contract at the time of sale, you will have to rely on the seller's ethics.
Take the matter to small claims court. This is expensive and time consuming, and doesn't guarantee any financial reparations.
The best way to protect yourself is to be well informed and purchase your puppy from a reputable breeder. Don't purchase a puppy without a solid contract, and research breeders before you purchase from them.
Purchasing From a Pet Store
There are several things to consider before you purchase a puppy from a pet store.
Health can be a big issue; if the pet store can't give you information on the puppy's dame and sire, you may want to reconsider purchasing it. Many diseases are genetic in certain breeds. Reputable breeders will have the dame and sire carefully screened for common diseases before certifying the puppy's health. Health guarantees are another issue to clarify. Some pet stores will guarantee the puppy for a year, but what does that mean? Ask if their guarantee means they will pay for a sudden and expensive health problem, refund your money, or replace the puppy. Falling in love with your puppy, only to discover he is sick and your only option is to have him replaced could be devastating.
Socialization in a pet store is often minimal or non-existent for a puppy. A dog that has spent several months in a cage can have behavior problems such as anxiety, fear, aggression and housebreaking issues.
Puppy mills and farms often sell their puppies to pet stores. This is another reason to question the pet store extensively before purchasing a puppy. If the store can't give you detailed information on the puppy, chances are good that it came from a disreputable breeder.
Purchasing From a Breeder
Finding a breeder can be a challenge. The fear of many buyers is unknowingly purchasing from a puppy mill. There are certain things to look out for when you visit the breeder. Look around the facilities. A normal, happy and well-socialized puppy is one that is part of the family, and not caged or restricted in an unusual or cruel way. If you see anything that makes you hesitate, such as small housing, restrained animals, dirty or unhealthy looking animals or a lack of healthy interaction between the breeder and their dogs, leave the facilities.
A good breeder will not just hand you the puppy and its papers. She will want to know about you and why you want this puppy. She will show you her facilities and encourage you to spend some time with the puppy before purchasing it. She will be happy to answer any questions you have and will be honest about any potential health problems or issues with the breed. When you decide to purchase a puppy, she will have a sales contract available.
Purchase Contract
A contract can look different from breeder to breeder, but should contain some basic information.
All puppy information such as: name, breed, sex, date of birth, registration number, color, the sire and dames' names and registration numbers, and whether the registration certificate has been given to the buyer, and if not, an explanation for this.
All buyer and seller information, including whether the puppy will be co-owned, and if there is a non breeding clause--which means that you agree not to breed the puppy and will have it spayed or neutered.
What is included in the warranty: veterinarian fees, replacement of the puppy or a refund, and conflict resolution.
Make sure the contract is approved by a lawyer and is notorized at the time of signing. This ensures the contract will stand up in court if there is a problem.
Helping The Helpless
Once you have decided that you are ready for a puppy, you have researched a suitable breed and are ready to start looking, why not start with local rescue shelters? Many breeds in shelters are pure bred, and are given up because of owners' lifestyle changes, such as divorces, birth or death, and are not there because they are bad or unhealthy.
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