Rules of returns and exchanges of kittens and puppies bought from Lapa.shop

Please note that living creatures are not covered by the Ukrainian Law “On Protection of Consumers’ Rights” that entitles the buyer to return the goods to the seller within 14 days without a good reason. Therefore, we recommend that the seller and the buyer, when concluding a purchase contract, specify whether return or exchange is possible.

If there is no direct contract or it doesn’t contain a return clause, the Lapa.shop service rules will apply. According to them, a kitten or a puppy can be returned to a breeder for good reasons only. In this case, the breeder must compensate the amount paid for the pet in full or partially or offer an equivalent replacement.

Good reasons for return

Here is a comprehensive list of good reasons for returning a pet to a breeder.

Some of family members are allergic to pets

An allergy that suddenly manifested itself in a family member within a week after the pet moved to the new home. The fact must be confirmed by an official conclusion report from an allergy specialist. Attention! It is the doctor’s conclusion about allergy to this particular pet that is required, but not about allergy in general. The disease could have manifested itself for some other reason, and the pet’s moving in was a coincidence.

It is recommended that allergy patients are tested for cat or dog allergy before buying. If an allergic person takes a pet home, he must warn the breeder about the problem. If a buyer with cat allergy, which had been diagnosed prior to purchase, returned the pet, the breeder has the right to keep 50% of the pet cost.

Congenital defects

Congenital defects in a kitten or puppy if the breeder didn’t inform the buyer about them before the purchase. If the breeder informed about the defects or pet’s peculiarities, and the buyer agreed to sign the contract, these circumstances are no longer a reason for return.

Infections

Infections in the pet that manifested themselves within the first 5 days after moving in. This refers to diagnoses officially confirmed by a vet doctor. The buyer’s suspicion of disease is not a reason for return. If it is impossible to diagnose a disease right away, but there are certain symptoms, the buyer must provide an official report from a vet about these symptoms.

Other problems

Other problems with the pet in a new home, including behavioral ones, are managed by exception.

Invalid reasons

1. The pet is allergic to an irritant in the buyer’s house. However, the buyer can notify the breeder and return the kitten or puppy if the breeder agrees.
2. Infectious diseases that manifested themselves 5 days after moving in. An incubation period of certain diseases is 2-3 days only. Therefore, if the pet falls ill after 5 days, most likely it was infected on the way or in the new house. Parents can bring the infection home even on their shoes.
3. Development defects that were discovered after a while and not apparent at the time of purchase.
4. Worms, since they are common for growing pets even after deworming. They can be treated with 1-2 courses of special medications. Generally, they are not dangerous to humans.
5. Constipation is a frequent problem in kittens after moving to a new home. Usually, the stool normalizes by itself within a week.
6. Watery eyes (epiphora) aren’t an independent diagnosis and can be a disease symptom. It is not a good reason for return unless it’s a symptom of infection or defected eyelid structure.
7. Diarrhea isn’t an independent diagnosis but can be a symptom of an infectious disease. Diarrhea may result from stress or a new dietary pattern. In this case, it isn’t a good reason for return. However, diarrhea may be a symptom of an infectious disease brought from the breeder’s home. If it has been confirmed in writing by a vet, it can be a good reason for return within 5 days after moving to a new home.
8. Vomiting is not a reason to return the pet to the breeder unless it is a symptom of an infectious disease or congenital defect. However, this must be officially confirmed by a vet.
9. Problems with kitten’s or puppy’s behavior and socialization are not good reasons for return. Some of the most common problems include: the kitten doesn’t get used to a litter box in a new place at once, uses furniture as a claw sharpener, meows a lot, eludes the grasp, and hides. The pet’s behavior can almost always be corrected by being persistent and raising it according to the breeder’s recommendations. However, obvious psychological problems, confirmed by a vet’s conclusion report or a video, may be the reason for return or exchange with consent of the breeder.

Customer procedures for returning a kitten or puppy

As it has been stated above, good reasons for return include only diagnoses officially confirmed by a vet or severe behavioral problems. Therefore, the first step the buyer should take is to call a vet or visit a clinic for a diagnosis. In case of behavioral problems, the buyer should take a video record.

If you decided to return the pet and received the official conclusion report, proceed to the second step. Send a return request to the Lapa.shop administration’s e-mail address: lapa.expert@gmail.com. It’s a free-form request. Make sure you attached a scanned copy of the vet’s report and a video, if any.

After the administration received the notification of your intention to return the pet, the breeder will have three days to agree. The breeder and the buyer will agree to details of the return in personal correspondence.

If the breeder considers the return request unjustified, he may dispute it within 3 days. The Lapa.shop arbitral tribunal must consider the appeal within 3 days of receipt and provide its recommendations. If the reason provided by the buyer is one of the above-listed and is confirmed by the documents, the arbitral tribunal will deliver the verdict in favor of the buyer. If there are insufficient grounds for return, the decision will be in favor of the seller.

The arbitral verdict is not binding. However, it is an action of influence on the parties as well as an official document to be presented in court. If the parties fail to reach an agreement by negotiating, they have the right to resolve the dispute in court.

The Lapa.shop website administration acts as an arbitrator in the dispute only if the kitten or puppy was paid for through the website. Otherwise, the administration will have no records of the purchase, which will be considered incomplete.

When returning the kitten or puppy, the buyer must put it in a carrier box and hand it over to a courier along with the original ink stamped and signed medical report (a copy is not accepted). After shipping the pet, the buyer must notify the breeder in detail.

The buyer is responsible for transportation costs of returning the pet.

All veterinary expenses incurred by the buyer prior to the refund or return of the puppy are the responsibility of the buyer.

After receiving the pet, the breeder must refund the buyer within 3 business days. The parties must notify the Lapa.shop administration in writing about the refund and settlement of the dispute.

Payment settlement when returning a kitten or puppy

If the reason for return is an infection or congenital defect revealed within 5 days of the pet’s moving in, the breeder must return the full pet cost to the buyer. However, the breeder will not refund the buyer’s expenditure on the medical check and return delivery.

If the reason for return is allergy to the pet, which manifested itself within 7 days of its arrival and is confirmed by the allergy specialist, the breeder must refund 50% of the price. The remaining amount compensates for the breeder’s expenses and missed opportunities to sell the pet to other buyers.

In all cases, the buyer can’t get the refund after 30 days. However, the breeder has the right to take back the pet if the buyer asks to.

Exchange of the pet

The breeder and the buyer who wants to return the pet can mutually agree to exchange the kitten or puppy for another one. The exchange option is agreed separately after sending the return request. In this case, the buyer is responsible for the exchange and shipping costs.