Understanding The Components Of A Standard Health Guarantee - What it Does & Doesn’t Mean
More often then I’d like to, I see confusion over what a health guarantee means. This causes frustration between the breeder and the owner. This could happen for a couple different reasons. Perhaps the breeder didn’t put their guarantee in writing, or didn’t explain it well enough to the owner. Or perhaps the owner didn’t take the time to read the guarantee they signed. Whatever the reason, the following paragraphs will go over a standard health guarantee and what it means.
Although the verbiage can vary in a health guarantee based on the breed and the guidelines of the particular breeder, one thing remains the same. A health guarantee is intended to guarantee the health of the pup against genetic defects that would keep him or her from living a normal life.
Most guarantees state they’ll take the pup back and replace with a new pup of equal value. Normally health guarantees do not agree to refund money, cover vet bills or other expenses incurred. Here are a few things you should see in a standard health guarantee:
Descriptions of the types of genetic issues that are or are not covered - it’s important the guarantee is as specific as possible to avoid confusion later. Common issues for that breed and how they will be handled should be mentioned.
What age the guarantee ends - some diagnoses should be known by a certain age. Those ages should be written into the guarantee.
Expectations by the breeder of the owner - this could include things like the requirement of the pup being seen by a veterinarian, up to date on shots or other overall care. Or it could state that the pup’s medical records should be released to the breeder so they can make adjustments to their breeding program if needed.
County of Jurisdiction - any contract should state what county would have jurisdiction in the event legal action needs to be taken. This is especially important if you live in a different county or state than the breeder does.
Be sure to read and understand your health guarantee prior to signing. This is going to save you and your breeder from possible misunderstandings in the event there’s an issue later on. NEVER take a breeder's word that they’re guaranteeing the health of the pup without having it in writing. Unfortunately there are too many breeders out there who will say anything to make a sale but have no intention of standing behind their pup in the event something goes wrong. Read our Health Guarantee.