Bought a dog - person wants it back..aibu?

[mrsdaz]

I bought a dog 2 days ago from a lovely lady who was finding it hard to manage him due to working full time etc.

Agreed sale on Tuesday, collected him Thursday evening. All well. She has been in touch since by text to see how he is.

Yesterday got a text saying she's missing the dog and would have him back in a heartbeat.

Today I've had a text message from her daughter asking for the dog back. Plus subsequent phone call that I didn't answer.

Aibu to keep the dog? He's so happy and isn't pining for previous home etc. He will be with someone all the time rather than alone all day and has a companion dog here.

Who would give the dog back?

As previously mentioned by other posters.....if the dog's identification chip hasn't been updated with your details then they are still the legal owners.

This is really important.....what is the situation regarding the chip?

It's fine to feel sorry for her if her regret is genuine but that doesn't mean you need to give him back.

Sorry cross posted. Seen your update that you have the chip documents.....is the dog now registered to you, or still registered to the previous owner?

Reassure her the dog is happy, having no accidents, and perfectly settled. Say his new set up suits him perfectly.

If she works full time it's not fair for her to keep a dog, especially a pup. She clearly doesn't have the time for him as he's not house trained yet at 9 months old. Sounds like you can give him a much better home so keep him. It's what is best for him. She may change her mind again and sell him later down the line which is more upheaval for the poor mite.

Change the chip details to yours otherwise she can list him as stolen and she’ll get him back.

You say you have the chip documents but have you changed it over into your name?

Ah he's a lockdown purchase, so she probably bought him while on furlough.

She's an idiot who doesn't think things through. Please don't give him back.

I’ve been in this position where I had to rehome my dogs because I was being evicted and literally couldn’t find anywhere to take dogs with me

We rehomed them and at the last minute the landlady said we could have the dogs

We did contact the people we rehomed them too but they declined and said they wanted to keep them. I understood but I thought it was worth a try. I certainly didn’t harass them but it was a case of “don’t ask, don’t get”

They asked, you said no, that should be the end of the story

I'm with the person who said she's been offered more for the dog. People have been paying huge prices and then reselling rather than taking to a rescue when they can't cope to recover some money.
Don't give the dig back! How did you hear of the sale? Keep pics of advert too in case you need it.

She has had someone offer her more money for him.

How sure are you that she hasn't been offered more for him... Or someone offered to buy him at asking price, whereas she knocked £200 off for you?

@LeaveMyDamnJam

She has had someone offer her more money for him.

Considering covid prices, she could have asked for a lot more for a 9 mo puppy. I'm cynical but there it is.

@LeaveMyDamnJam

She has had someone offer her more money for him.

This was my first thought.

Keep the dog. They're too unreliable to keep him and she's already said she can't cope with him. How long until she changes her mind again?

If you have proof of purchase and his paperwork, I would 100% keep him.

100000% she's had somebody offer more money for him.

Do not let this dog go back to this person, have his chip changed ASAP.

She sounds like a proper halfwit. Even if you were mad enough to consider returning him; how long before she flogs him on to another stranger because he's too much like hard work again?
Idiots like this should not be in charge of animals.

I’d keep him too. Definitely change chip details asap.

@Incywincyspinsters

Do they know where you live? I bloody hope not.

I'd like to think they did a home check

Block her number and forget about her.

@mrsdaz

Thanks everyone for the speedy replies!!

I have text communication as proof I bought him. I have his chip documents too.

She doesn't have my address and lives in another town - I drove 1.5 hours round trip to collect him.

He's 9 months old and not house trained but since being here he's had no accidents because he's always got company and is following other dog outside etc.

I paid a reasonable amount (£300) which I did knock down as she wanted £500. He was expensive initially due to covid prices so I know she's lost a lot of money.

She states she didn't think it through properly but had 2 days between sale and collection to change her mind.

I just fell for his loveliness and wanted him. The children love him already.

Ahhh I still feel guilty though and sad for her!!

Please don't feel guilty about someone who tries to flog their dog for £500 without even bothering to check where/how its going to be living.

I'd like to think they did a home check
It would certainly be nice to imagine some daft mare selling their dog on a whim would give a toss who bought him.

Don't let her have him back! If she isn't trying to get more money for him and genuinely wants to keep him, the reasons she wanted to rehome him won't have changed so what will she do? If she hasn't been able to house train him by 9 months it's not a great situation is it? Get the chip details transferred and tell her you're keeping him.

Nope. The dog has been sold to a new family and there’s no going back from that.

I would send one polite message to make it clear the dog is staying with me. If the response was anything other than, “ok it was worth asking” I’d block them both.