Deb is a foster parent for an animal rescue. We went to her house to see a dog that we found online. She had about 10 dogs at her house! We decided to adopt the dog we came to see and she told us the adoption fee was $500. The dog wasn't ready to go home because she had an appointment a week later to get spayed so she asked us to leave half of the fee to hold her for us. We gave her $250 in cash and signed the contract with Underdog Rescue of AZ. I had lost my dog to diabetes 2 days before we went to see the new dog and I was feeling that maybe I wasn't ready to have a new one.
2 days later on our way out of town we decided she wasn't the dog for us and it was too soon so we called Deb and let her know our decision. At first Deb was understanding and told us she would mail our check back to us. When my husband told her we paid cash, her tone changed. The next week my husband reached out to her asking to arrange to come over and get the money back from her and she told him it was non-refundable. She is refusing to give us our money back. I have emailed the rescue, Underdog Rescue of AZ, and they keep telling me the dog we were adopting was not part of their rescue. I have sent them a copy of the contract that Deb had us sign that says Underdog Rescue of AZ, but they have not got back to me.
They have no number to call to talk to a live person and they have yet to try to help me get our deposit back. I had an attorney look at the contract to see if it states we can't get our deposit back and he confirmed it does not say anywhere that the deposit is non-refundable. I have reached out to Deb again trying to be calm and nice but she refuses to give us the money back. $250.00 is a lot of money to keep from someone when we did not receive anything in return for the money. It seems to me that Deb is operating in an unethical way. If the rescue is telling us the dog was not part of their rescue, then why would Deb have us sign one of their contracts?
Also, Underdog Rescue of AZ says their standard fee is $200 for a dog, then why is Deb charging $500? They have yet to tell me what Rescue Deb actually works for. Is Deb selling dogs on her own and not really representing a rescue to keep money tax free? The rescue needs to jump in and see that she misrepresenting them and stop her! If anyone is looking to adopt a rescue dog and the ad says to contact Deb, DO NOT contact her, she is unethical and running a puppy mill!
TheOpinionatedGSD
USA#2Consumer Suggestion
Tue, September 20, 2016
When you promise to buy something, and leave money for that item.. no mater how soon you turn around and decide you want it back, it doesn't change the agreement.
You promised to buy something. If you choose to walk away without compleating the sale, then you loose your deposit. There is no cooling off period for Animals. Deposits are always non-refundable unless in writting it says it is refudable.
Maybe you can add this to your tax's as a charity donation. Lesson learned. Don't leave deposits on items or animals you do not plan on buying.