Ferret Sale Gone Wrong?
So I sold my ferret Pinky two weeks ago because I moved out of my apartment into my inlaws house until my home loan goes through. Anyways I drove two hours to deliver my ferret to this exchange student from switzerland living here for this year. I told him up front that my ferret HAD NOT BEEN TO THE VET. Also that there were no known health problems. She is a happy ferret who plays about four hours total a day. (Because known unto anyone with ferrets, they sleep an average of 19 hours a day.) The sale went through and both of us were happy, my ferret got a loving home and this boy got the pet he wanted.
Anyways he calls me last night at 9:45 and tells me that my ferret has worms, and that he wants me to return the 0 dollars he paid me. I asked how he knew she had worms and he told me he saw them in her poop. I however in the year I’ve had my ferret, and personally cleaned the litter NEVER saw anything that was not normal.
So I don’t want to be a jerk and I would love to help him out, but first off I am not in any position to take my ferret back even if I wanted to. Second off he wants to return my ferret when he hasn’t taken her to the vet to confirm this. Third off, they are taking her to the vet tomorrow and now want me to pay the 60 dollar vet bill.
None of my other animals are sick, or have anything that resembles worms. How do I know that she didn’t pick up worms at their home from one of their animals. My ferret has been ferret food and kitten food. NOTHING ELSE. No junk food or anything.
Am I in the wrong for not feeling obligated to these people? I know that she was my pet but I sold her. I wouldn’t ever ask the lady I bought my dog from to pay my vet bill two weeks later for a tapeworm issue. Also I would like to include that buyers remorse has a 72 hour return period. He is well over that time.
Please give me your advice.
Susan E, my ferret was NOT at my house until four days until the seller called. She wanted her the night she called but I couldn’t make the travel arrangements giving me TWO days to book the only vet in my neighborhood that looks at ferrets. I DISCLOSED THIS INFORMATION THE DAY OF THE SALE!! The buyer said this was fine and she would take her the next day. ALL OF MY ANIMALS INCLUDING MY RATS HAVE SEEN THE VET AND ARE CURRENT ON THEIR SHOTS!! So let’s assume you don’t know everything for one second before you scrutinize my owner abilities. Forget you and the horse you rode in on!
Tagged with: animals • apartment • buyers remorse • exchange student • ferret • ferrets • health problems • home loan • jerk • junk food • kitten food • pinky • return period • sleep • switzerland • vet bill • worms
Maybe because I deal with contracts everyday, but I think you should tell him the sale was AS-IS. Your not paying for anything. If he wants to give you the ferret your happy to take him back, and you will sell to someone else (of course this doesn’t mean your paying him back, your just taking the ferret back).
Besides you said there were no known health issues. Even if the ferret had the worms at your home your still not responsible because you didn’t know it. He should have taken the vet for a quick checkup before he bought. I always take a car to a mechanic, same principle.
You could also be a smart ass and ask him to point out in your contract where it says there is a 3 week warranty.
Caveat Emptor- Let the Buyer Beware
Be a jerk…he’s a grown man right? exchange college student no?
If I’m wrong be a jerk to his parents
They would have called you two weeks ago and said "hey…the ferret has worms" if the thing had worms when you gave it to them. Simple as that.
In two weeks, he could have gotten into something he had no business getting into…(or something they had no business having with a pet like a ferret) and gott worms
Their problem…it’s their pet now…they WILL take it to the vet tommorrow, and he will get worm meds and your ferret will be a happy ferret once more. Home boy will be out of 60 bucks but thats the responsibility of having a pet
I don’t think you’re obligated to do anything. He didn’t question you about the health of the ferret, you both agreed to the deal, and it sounds like he’s had the ferret for quite a while. It doesn’t take long for an animal to pick up worms either.
I don’t see how any of this is your responsibility to take care of.
Demand to see the ferret first. Demand to see the supposed worm infested poo.
Tell him if he wants his $150 back, he has to let you. And tell him depending on what you see, you may want your ferret back.
Line up a vet appointment, just in case your ferret DOES have worms, and line up another owner so you can take the ferret right away and give them to a better home.
I would wait until he has taken her to the vet and got a real diagnosis. If she does have worms, for the sake of good customer service I would pay half the vet bill and half the medication bill. I would only do this because, as you said yourself, you never took her to the vet for an exam. Because it won’t be possible to figure out if she had worms when you owned her or if she got it from the new owner’s house, you both should pay half the bill each. It is quite possible that she DID have worms when you had her and you just didn’t notice the problem. if you had taken her to the vet and got a clean bill of health before you sold her, then it would be the buyer’s problem, but because you have never had her examined you can’t honestly say that she did NOT have worms when you sold her. Just to stay friendly and fair, pay half of the expense of the vet bill and learn this lesson for next time. Either put SOLD AS IS on the receipt when you sell another pet, or take the animal to the vet for an exam and get the vet to write a CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH that you can give to the new owner. That way you are not responsible for something that comes up in the first 2 weeks (or ever) after you sell it. If you have not ever been to the vet with her, then this new owner has some expense ahead of him getting her vaccinations, etc. It was a sad mistake that you never had your pet examined. If you are going to be a pet owner you need to face the reality that pets need to go to the vet at least once a year for a check-up and vaccinations. If she does not have worms and the new buyer is suffering from buyer’s remorse, that is his problem. He can advertise and sell her to someone else if he really made a mistake in buying her.