I sold puppy with one shot of vaccine and in good health, after two weeks it died. What is my liability?

Answer 1

None, unless you breed more than 10 litters per year in some states or sold it from a pet shop in some states.
The only time a private breeder is under any legal obligation, is if there is a written health guarantee and contract...Except in a few states..

Now, ethical obligation is different..It would depend on when the puppy became ill, and how long it was ill,,to decide if it was actually beginning the disease when it left your home..or if it was carelessly exposed by the new owner..Resolving ethical problems is totally up to you..

this is the law for Pennsylvania> http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:06IUdMG_0LoJ:www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploadedFiles/Consumers/purchasers.pdf+dog+purchasers+act&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a

here is New Jersey's> http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusnjst56_8_92_97.htm
there is a sidebar to examine the laws of your own state..

Answer 2

How did this pup die? Did they do a necropsy on the pup if they were not sure? If the dog had parvo and died 2 weeks later, it could of picked up parvo after it left your place. If you do this again, I highly reccomend that you keep the pups until at least 8 weeks of age, make sure that they have had at least 2 vaccines when they leave, and have something written that the people should not expose the pup to any other dogs and or wildlife until it has had a few more shots by a liscensed veterinarian plus 2 additional weeks. You are probably not liable. I would also suggest that you have written down that if a pup dies and there is a question as to why, then the buyer is required to have the pup necropsied as well. A necropsy can be done at most vet schools cheaper than what a private vet will do one for. Purdue charges $50 for a complete necropsy on a dog now a days.

Answer 3

Was the puppy 8 wks old when you sold it?
Did they take it to the vet within 48 after purchase?
Request a veterinary report/statement as to what the puppy died from.

If the puppy died from a birth defect or a possibly hereditary problem, yes, you can be held liable. In this situation, any reputable/responsible breeder would offer a refund or a pup from the next litter.

Contract or no contract...you could be held accountable. There are Puppy Lemon Laws that derived from the Dog Purchaser's Act.

Answer 4

First of all this person needs to give you a report from their vet..just how the puppy died..Without that you have no liability other then making darn sure how that puppy died. IF the vet said it was no fault of yours or theirs..Then if it was me after two weeks I would give them back their money or offer them a new puppy next litter. My contract states that the owner has five days to take their puppy to the vet. If you sold a puppy it should have a written contract that you both sign. But after two weeks you have no liability really except moral. But you really need to know how this puppy died. For the sake of our dog and future litters. Sorry for the puppy

I had a puppy died with in a month after being sold. Heart broken thing for me cause I sold them the puppy and heart broken because it was their puppy that they grew to love. After finding no fault with me nor the people I sold this dog too. I offer them a new puppy after from the next litter.. That puppy is a year old now and doing just fine.

Answer 5

I would have requested a autopsy on the puppy to see if it was something genetic or something the persons that bought the puppy caused...it is not normal for a healthy puppy that has been vaccinated to die.....if the people are being crappy about it offer them another puppy if you have one or a puppy out of the next litter, however I always made people sign a contract when I sold puppies and requested that they had them vet checked within 48 hours and that they send me a copy of the vet bill so that I would know they had it done, this covers you in case of a puppy death.

Answer 6

A vet must determine what it died of. If it died of a condition he had when you sold it, I think you should return the money in good faith. I mean you didn't do fraud, because you honestly thought the puppy was healthy, but he may have had a congenital disease you didn't know about. If, however, the vet says he died of something he developped afterwards, or due to something the new owners did, you have no liability. But perhaps the vet needs to do an autopsy.

Answer 7

Did you sell it with a contract, or written agreement attesting to the health of the puppy? Was the puppy healthy when it left your care? Were all the vaccines updated and appropriate for the age of the puppy when it left your care?

If you don't have any kind of a contract or health guarantee, and the puppy was in good health when it left, and all the vaccines were up to date, then you don't have any kind of legal liability, as far as I know.

You might want to check with a lawyer, esp. if this was an expensive puppy.

Answer 8

if the puppy had been to the vet, and they said the puppy was in good health then there is no liability, the puppy could have died from anything, so i dont think there is anything that can be done and if thy want to go to court i think a judge wouldnt find anything to hold u accountable for the puppy passing,

Answer 9

If it was me...I would just avoid ,what could become a mess, and refund their money...and make sure you never ever sold them another pup.....

If you don't want to go this route...I would demand that the pup be took to a vet ..your choosing or independent of theirs....to determine the cause of death...and if it wasn't a pre-existing condition (since they had the pup for two weeks)...I don't see how you would be libel for anything... If they refuse to take the pup to a vet...than tell them to take you to court....and track down the litter mates to show that the others are in fine form.......it will be up to them to prove you sold them a defective pup....without a vets record that says it was a pre-existing condition ..and if all the other pups are fine..it will be hard for them to prove this pup wasn't in good health when you sold it to them...now, if it turns out that it had a pre-existing condition that caused the death..than you will need to refund their money..........

Answer 10

Well, it depended on what the pup died from. It may have been their fault intirely and not yours. You would be suprised how many people don't know how to take care of a pup or kitten. So unless they prove it was your fault, then don't worry about it, really sorry the pup died though. Very sad.