Lapa.shop is a website of the cat and dog breeders association of Ukraine. We offer simple rules for using the website, which are aimed at protecting both buyers’ and sellers’ interests.
Lapa.shop sells pets and pet care-related services. Only those breeders who are officially registered in the international felinological and canine system clubs have the right to sell kittens and puppies on the Lapa.shop site. But the legal character of their work is not the only rule. The website administration selects breeders by assessing the quality of their work.
A citizen of any country, who shares the responsible pet parenting principles, can buy from Lapa.shop.
Communication between buyers and sellers
The buyer can communicate with the seller (breeder) through the feedback form on the website. Communication by phone or messenger is also possible. If the buyer and the seller live in the same city they can meet in person.
Prices for kittens and puppies
The sellers specify prices for pets. They can quote two options:
- with the rights to breed (i.e., with the right to get offspring from this pet);
- as a pet (without the right to breed).
If only one price is quoted, the description specifies whether the pet can be used for breeding.
Purchase process
You can buy a pet from Lapa.shop only against prepayment. If the pet will be shipped to the buyer after one week, the buyer can pay a deposit instead. The deposit amount is 50% of the price, but this amount can be changed if agreed with the breeder. The buyer must pay the remaining amount before the pet is shipped.
Why should the buyer pay a deposit? In 99% of cases, the pet isn’t ready to move to a new home on the same day it is chosen. First, the living creature needs to be prepared for the trip. First, the kitten or the puppy must reach the age when it can be weaned (3 months according to the international standards). Second, the kitten or the puppy must be fully vaccinated. The club also needs a few days to prepare the documents in the buyer’s name. If the pet is sold neutered, it will need some time to recover after the surgery. That means that the buyer will have to wait from a few days to a few weeks. But to ensure that the pet is reserved by the buyer for the entire waiting period, the buyer must make a deposit or a reservation.
Step one: reserving the pet
To confirm that the buyer’s intentions and interest in a particular pet are serious, the buyer makes a deposit/reservation. Only after that the pet is withdrawn from the market and gets the reserved status. This means that the kitten or the puppy is assigned to the particular buyer until final payment.
After the seller received the deposit for the kitten or puppy, he can refuse to sell it to the buyer for a good reason only. For example, if the pet died, fell ill, or was injured. In this case, the breeder must either offer an equivalent replacement (another kitten or puppy) or return the deposit in full.
The deposit is not refunded if the buyer cancels the reservation during the waiting period, although the purchase conditions and the pet’s characteristics have not changed. Likewise, it is not refunded if the buyer disappeared and doesn’t get in touch.
Step two: final payment
Once the pet is completely ready (reached the specified age, is fully vaccinated, and has all the necessary documents), it can move to its new home.
The seller must inform the buyer that the pet is ready to move out. Once the parties have agreed on a date and method of delivery, the buyer must pay the remaining amount. Please note that the pet will be shipped to the buyer only against full payment!
The only exception is the buyer and the seller who live in the same city. In this case, the seller can receive the remaining amount when handing the pet over.
Process of selling and buying on the website
You can make a deposit and pay for the pet in full directly on the Lapa.shop website. This implies a few steps.
- Don’t rush to pay as soon as you’ve chosen a suitable kitten or puppy. We strongly recommend that you first contact the website administration and the breeder to clarify the details. You can do it either through the feedback form on the pet’s page, or by writing to us in a messenger, or by calling our office number +38-067-868-73-87. Why should you ask first? Some cat and dog breeds require special conditions or parents’ special skills. You should make sure that you’ve made the right choice. The breeder, in turn, may have questions to the buyer about his intentions and the housing conditions. The breeder has the right to refuse the buyer. That’s why we recommend paying only after reaching an agreement. However, if you’ve paid but the seller refuses to sell, or any other issues arose that make the sale impossible, you will get the full amount back to your account within 24 hours. Also, within 24 hours you have the right to change your mind without a good reason and get your deposit back. But this only applies to the prepayment made directly on our website.
- After the parties have reached an agreement, the buyer must make a deposit. On the website, the full price of a kitten or a puppy is specified. If you want to pay 100% right away, click on the “Add to cart” button. You will be taken to the checkout page. If you want to make a deposit, click on the “Deposit request” button. You will be asked to send your contact information. We will get your contact information and make a payment form for the deposit amount. Just before the pet is shipped, we will make the second payment form for the remaining amount.
We do not insist that you pay on the website, but we highly recommend it. You have the right to pay directly to the breeder if you find this option more acceptable. But in this case the Lapa.shop administration cannot act as a payment guarantor and mediator in case of any disputes. If you make a payment on our website, the payment reliability and your money safety will be confirmed by the European payment service Fondy.
Contractual obligations
When making a purchase on the Lapa.shop website, a contract between the parties is not obligatory. In this case, our public offer is automatically applied according to the Electronic Commerce Act. It has the force of a contract. When making a payment, the buyer automatically accepts the terms of this contract.
However, the buyer can optionally conclude another contract with the breeder he takes a kitten or a puppy from. The parties must discuss the terms and conditions of the contract in preliminary talks.
Handling the pet over to the buyer
The buyer can pick up the kitten or the puppy from the breeder’s home, if possible. If not, the pet will be transported to him or sent with a courier. The kitten or the puppy will travel to its new home in a special carrier (box) and accompanied by a human. The box can be used several times if the buyer can send it back, or can be given to the buyer for an additional fee, or given as a gift (at the seller’s discretion).
The seller must ship the pet within 3 days of the full payment unless the parties agreed otherwise. If the pet is ready to move out but the buyer wants to pick up the kitten or the puppy later, the breeder will require him to pay for the homestay. But no fee will be charged for homestay of the kittens and puppies kept by the breeder until they reach 3.5 months or for up to two weeks at any age.
On the shipment day, we strongly recommend that the breeder take a video of the pet to show that it is cheerful, healthy, and is doing well. The video should demonstrate the pet’s teeth and ears with the ear pavilion turned out, its eyes, and hair separated in several places. If the buyer picks up the pet, he will examine it in person.
Within Ukraine, kittens and puppies are delivered by the breeder (if possible), by courier or by public transport (train or bus). Delivery outside Ukraine is possible by specialized courier services at their rates.
Delivery options
At present, Lapa.shop does not have its own courier service. Therefore, kittens and puppies are delivered by third-party carriers. Delivery is not included in the pet’s price and is paid separately to the carrier. Delivery prices are specified by couriers.
The Lapa.shop administration can recommend a reliable courier to the buyer. Or the buyer can use services of the carrier he trusts.
If a kitten or puppy is sold within Ukraine, it can be sent by train or intercity bus. In this case, the buyer must meet the pet at the train or bus station at the scheduled time.
Once the pet is handed over to the courier, he is fully responsible for its condition and health. Lapa.shop does its best to protect both buyers and sellers from fraud. Therefore, we strongly recommend that both parties resort only to services of reliable couriers they trust.
According to the law, the ownership right is acquired from the moment the pet is handed over to the buyer. If the buyer hasn’t received the pet, the contract is considered unfulfilled, and the ownership right is not acquired. The money will subsequently be refunded to the buyer.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Development defects that were discovered after a while and not apparent at the time of purchase.
- 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.
- Constipation is a frequent problem in kittens after moving to a new home. Usually, the stool normalizes by itself within a week.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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: [email protected] 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.
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.
Relations between the parties after the purchase
All ads related to the puppies and kittens sold are stored at the Lapa.shop archive. They remain in the website database for 1 year so that the information can be restored in case of any disputes. The breeder and the buyer get access to the archives by sending the request to the administration.
After the purchase, the customer has the right to post a review about the Lapa.shop website in general and the particular breeder. These reviews and the number of pets sold through the site form the sellers’ rating in the system. The higher rated breeders will be more trusted.
For its part, the Lapa.shop administration can ask the buyer to answer a few questions or fill in a questionnaire. This is to get feedback and assess the breeders’ work. Also, your suggestions on improvement of our work are always welcome.
The Lapa.shop administration welcomes the breeder to continue consulting the buyer after the purchase and answering his questions. This confirms the breeder’s responsible attitude to his pets and raises his rating. This also helps the buyer to avoid possible mistakes in raising and taking care of the pet. During 1 year after the purchase, the Lapa.shop administration also provides free advice about the pets sold.
