What is a puppy purchase agreement?
A puppy contract, or puppy sale agreement, is the written deal between a breeder and the buyer of a puppy or kitten. It sets out the price and deposit, when the animal can be collected, the health care it has had, what happens if a vet finds a problem, whether it comes with registration papers and breeding rights, and the buyer's promise to come back to the breeder first if they ever can't keep it. Responsible breeders use one to set clear expectations. Buyers use one to know what they are getting.
This template covers the breeder's licence number where one applies, the animal's breed, sex, date of birth, markings, parents and microchip, the price and deposit (non-refundable or refundable until close to collection), the collection date and minimum age, vaccinations and parent health tests, a first vet check with a return-and-refund right, an optional guarantee against serious inherited conditions, the care promise and take-back, registration, breeding rights and spay/neuter, and the governing law. Both parties initial each page and sign.
- Best for
- Hobby and licensed breeders selling puppies or kittens to pet homes
- Signed by
- The breeder and the buyer
- Health
- Buyer's vet check within the days you set, plus an optional inherited-condition guarantee
- Length
- About 2 pages, initialled on every page
When to Use a puppy purchase agreement
- Taking a deposit to reserve a puppy from a new litter
- Selling a pedigree kitten with registration papers
- Selling a puppy as a companion pet, without breeding rights
- Selling a breeding-quality animal with breeding rights
- Setting out your health guarantee and take-back policy in writing
What You Fill In
28 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: breeder, buyer.
1 Breeder
- Breeder (name or kennel / cattery)*
- Breeder's address*
- Breeder licence or registration number
2 Buyer
- Buyer's full name*
- Buyer's address*
- Date of agreement*
3 The animal
- Puppy or kitten* Puppy · Kitten
- Breed*
- Sex* male · female
- Date of birth*
- Colour and markings
- Parents (sire and dam)
- Microchip number
- Breed registration body
4 Price and collection
- Currency*
- Total price*
- Deposit paid
- Deposit is* non-refundable if the Buyer withdraws, but refunded in full if the Breeder cannot supply the animal · refundable in full until 14 days before the collection date
- Collection date*
- Minimum age at collection (weeks)*
5 Health
- Vaccinations and care before collection*
- Health tests on the parents
- Buyer's own vet check within (days)*
- Guarantee against serious inherited conditions (months)
- If an inherited condition is diagnosed* a refund of the price on return of the animal, or, if the Buyer prefers to keep it, a contribution to vet costs up to half the price · a replacement from a future litter, or a refund of the price if no replacement is available within 12 months
6 Registration and breeding
- Sold* as a companion pet, without breeding rights · with breeding rights
- Spay / neuter* The Buyer will decide with their vet whether to spay or neuter · The Buyer will have the animal spayed or neutered at the age their vet recommends
- Governing law*
7 Who signs
- Breeder signature and date, initials on every page
- Buyer signature and date, initials on every page
What the puppy purchase agreement Covers
- The animal
- Price and deposit
- Collection
- Health
- Care and a home for life
- Registration and breeding
- General
Using the puppy purchase agreement, step by step
1 Add the breeder, buyer and animal
Enter your name or kennel/cattery name and address, and your licence or registration number if your area licenses breeders. Add the buyer's details. Choose puppy or kitten, then fill in the breed, sex, date of birth, colour and markings, parents and microchip number. Leave the microchip empty to write it in at collection.
2 Set the price, deposit and collection
Enter the total price and any deposit, and choose whether the deposit is non-refundable if the buyer withdraws or refundable until 14 days before collection. Set the collection date and the minimum age at collection. Use at least any minimum age your local law sets.
3 Describe health care and the guarantee
Say what vaccinations, worming and vet checks the animal will have before it leaves, and any health tests on the parents. Set how many days the buyer has for their own vet check. Then choose whether to give a guarantee against serious inherited conditions, for how many months, and what you'll provide: a refund on return, a contribution to vet costs, or a replacement.
4 Choose registration and breeding rights
Enter the registration body if the animal comes with papers. Choose whether it is sold as a companion pet without breeding rights or with breeding rights, and the spay/neuter position. Add the governing law, add the buyer as a signer and send. Both of you initial each page and sign.
Tips Before You Send It
- Many places set a minimum age for selling puppies and kittens, and some license breeders. Check your local rules and include your licence number if you have one.
- Hand over the health record, microchip paperwork and some of the usual food at collection. The agreement lists these.
- Encourage the first vet check. It protects you too, because problems found later are harder to trace.
- Consumer protection laws may give buyers rights beyond this agreement, especially if you sell regularly. The agreement doesn't limit them.
- Keep a copy of the signed contract with the litter's records. VergeHR files it in Files automatically.
Sign It Online In Minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Puppy purchase agreement: frequently asked questions
Is a puppy deposit refundable?
It depends on what you choose. The template offers a deposit that is non-refundable if the buyer withdraws (but refunded if you can't supply the animal), or one that is refundable until 14 days before collection. Consumer law in some places may affect this.
What does the health guarantee cover?
If you choose to give one, it covers a serious inherited or congenital condition, diagnosed in writing by a vet within the months you set, that significantly affects the animal's quality of life. It doesn't cover accidents, neglect, poor diet or conditions that aren't inherited. You can ask for a second opinion at your own cost.
Can I use it for kittens?
Yes. Choose "Kitten" and the title and wording change to match. Use the registration body field for a cat registry such as TICA or GCCF.
Is a puppy contract signed online valid?
Electronic signatures are generally valid for ordinary agreements like this in the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF as a record of who signed and when.
Is this template free?
Yes. The template is free to use with the eSignature app in VergeHR, and the people you send it to don't need a VergeHR login to sign.