I guess I don't know what "buying off the net" means? Surely there is no one out there who places an order on the internet and never talks to the broker or the breeder. Most breeders are on the internet so I don't know if you are saying "only buy from a breeder you meet in person" or "only buy from a breeder locally" or what? If this is the case, maybe someone of this opinion should say "I won't buy from a breeder I haven't met in person".
"Don't buy off the internet" is too general in my opinion.
The puppy escrow only works when there is a contract spelling out all of the terms (3 day guarantee, 1 yr guarantee, genetic defects only, "as is", etc) and a trust already established between the breeder and the new owner, but it is a great solution to avoid the scam artists who demand a money order or a wire transfer and then never deliver the puppy. I have only heard stories of this happening but never experienced it myself.
Yes, as YorkieRose said after having the puppy vet checked, talking to the vet, etc., you "would hope you could trust each other by then", but as she also said, "people lie and try to make it the breeder's fault" so trust does not always exist. The escrow holder could accompany the new owner to the airport to pick up the puppy and be a witness to what transpires between there and the vets office. Hopefully, the puppy checks out and doesn't get dropped on it's head.
You could even use a local breeder as the escrow officer and they could charge a small fee for their time. I think it's a creative solution to a potential problem. |