Baby goat dead, nasty buyers demanding refund

Sorry you are having to deal with those nasty buyers. Its never fun. I try to ask folks about their experiences with goats and give them the basics. Like others, I tell new owners to feel free to call me with questions. Most will only call when the problem is so bad that no matter what I tell them or their vet tells them, the poor goat will die. I also have started using a contract. I make customers read it over and highlight the important areas so they understand they are getting a healthy goats (to the best of my knowledge) and I am not responsible for it once it leaves my place. I won't tell you that the contract would stop someone like your buyer, but at least you could remind them of what they signed and agreed upon.

Only thing you didn't mention is for each 1, 000 worms attached in the rumen can suck 2 large travel size coffee cup fulls of blood

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Michelle Peterson
Gray Rock Ranch
http://grayrockranch-com.webs.com/

This is just my opinion:

It may not have been your fault, but if it were me, I would refund the money and make them sign something saying this was a final deal. This way, if you regularly sell goats, you can keep a good reputation.

I would NEVER give a refund for this situation. You sold healthy livestock, and its on them to keep them that way. 6 WEEKS is definetely long enough for the difference in management to be the COMPLETE reason.

Barberpole worms are everywhere. It is NOT a case of having 'clean' stock from barberpole worms, because there is NO SUCH THING in the grand scheme of things. It's a case of maintaining an acceptable load through pasture management and good dewormer use. It is the same with ALL parasites!

Because they do not understand proper animal care and parasite pathology, does not mean you owe them a refund. It means they learn to be more dilligent. Too many people want to 'wait and see' with goats that are down/sick and that is unacceptable. I put a sale policy on my website that binds everybody wether they read it or not. I will only sell healthy animals and once they're out of my hands unless it's proven genetic/deformity, then I don't guarantee a lick.

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Dona Barski

"Breed the best, eat the rest"

Caprice Acres

French and American Alpines. CAE, Johnes neg herd. Abscess free. LA, DHIR.

I haven't sold kids yet. But I breed sugar gliders. I always give a 72 hour health guarantee that is valid only if the animal is seen by the new owner's vet withing that 72 hour time frame. That forces them to vet the animal or forfeit any claims for a refund for health reasons. I will most likely do the same with the kids we sell.

The breeder we bought our Nigerians from offers to do do a health exam at our expense, $50 per animal. I didn't take her up on it since I knew I would be vetting here shortly after buying. I'm certain had we found anything major she would have refunded.

You do not owe these people a refund, of course not, not for something routine like this. Monitoring the health of the animal and getting them appropriate vet care is the responsibility of the new owners. I'd tell them to go pound sand.

I'm sorry the OP had to go through this. We bought a calf last year and my mother bought one too. 2 days after she brought it home it became lethargic and developed shipping fever. It died. We tried to explain to her that if she would have just ASKED somebody, we could have helped. We even had the penicillin on hand. But she didn't. She called the lady who sold the calf and threw a fit asking for a refund because she was sold a sick calf. And proceeded to tell anybody who will listen that this woman is a bad businesswoman.

I do have my qualms about some aspects of this womans care. #1 being that she weans too soon. But we have no problem with our calf, we gave him medicine as necessary and he is thriving at 600 lbs right now.

Every time I sell an animal from my farm to somebody else, I explain that to the best of my knowledge, all animals are healthy when they leave this farm. Anything that happens to them after they leave my property, I am not responsible. I think Mygoat has something on her website along those lines. Its the same way with TSC, and Family Farm and Home. a 7 day return policy and you bring the body back with you. After that, its on you.

You will get bad eggs out there. And I'm sorry you got one. Thats the problem with america. Everybody feels entitled to their way. If it doesn't turn out their way, they get all indignant and have to bring others down with them.

I know, I'm a hypocrite because I've been known to throw fits every now and then. But, I'm just trying to express some empathy.


P.S. I wrote about mygoat's website BEFORE I read her reply lol.

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check out our new website/blog http://mcnuttvalley.webs.com/ or email us mcnuttvalley@gmail.com

Just say NO.

If you give a refund you are opening yourself up to "admitting" it was your fault.

You can say that again. When I brought Toast home, after getting her feet trimmed I called the local livestock vet (mostly horses, sheep, and cows I'm guessing) to see if he had a leg brace I could buy or rent for a week or so. He told me to put her down....over a hyperextended joint....

I had to make her a PVC one and it worked great, except it gave her a hot spot on the back of the afflicted joint and it's being stubborn to heal. I'm afraid to call the vet again since he pretty much accused me of being cruel for trying to fix her leg

Squeaky, what have you tried on the hot spot so far?

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Je ne suis pas Alice

http://homesteadingfamilies.proboards.com/

This is a great product for hot spots. I used it on my dog and couldn't even find the hot spot at the end of the day. Pricey, but well worth it and lasts a long time!
http://www.amazon.com/Vetericyn-Woun...s=vetericyn+vf

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Teach only Love...for that is what You are

Up to 30 days maybe with exceptions but not this long. Why did they wait that long to take her to the vet? Completely their fault not yours. Like many others have said....I buy my animals as is and unless I have proof they wormed them I worm and give vitamin B before I put them out on the property.

Many breeders of any livestock would go broke if they refunded for every animal they sold to a person who had no idea what they were doing but swore they did and then the animal became sick and died after 6 weeks.

No offense intended but you do have to set limits. A written contract with a 15-30 day warantee would probably be a good idea.