Reservations, deposits, and refunds — straight talk.

Pick Me Pets is a marketplace that connects buyers with vetted breeders. When you reserve a puppy with a deposit, that money pays the breeder so they can start caring for the puppy as yours — vet visits, food, microchipping, paperwork.

Because real money starts flowing the moment you reserve, your deposit is treated as a real commitment, not a hold. The breeder stops showing the puppy to other buyers. They start spending on the puppy's care.

Once your deposit clears, it is non-refundable in most cases. If you change your mind, the deposit is forfeited — that's how the breeder is compensated for the time, vet bills, and food spent caring for your puppy after you reserved.

You see this disclosure and tick an "I understand" box before any deposit is collected, and we record your acknowledgment with the exact terms you saw, the timestamp, and your IP. If you're not 100% sure, don't reserve yet.

Sometimes life happens. Most breeders won't leave you hanging in a real emergency. From their dashboard, a breeder can choose to issue a voluntary refund in one of three ways:

• Refund your deposit portion. You get back what they received. The platform's marketplace fee stays with Pick Me Pets (it was already paid up front and isn't refundable).
• Refund in full. Some breeders absorb the platform fee themselves to make you whole. This is a goodwill gesture, not a guarantee.
• Partial refund. Breeder and buyer agree on a smaller amount as a compromise.

The decision is the breeder's to make. They can also say no — that's why the deposit is non-refundable by default.

If your puppy isn't delivered, you get a full refund — including the marketplace fee. This is the platform's promise on top of the breeder's individual commitment.

How the grace window works:

• Firm pickup dates (most puppies): we allow 14 days past the scheduled pickup date before flagging a reservation as overdue. That covers normal slips — vet appointments, breeder travel, litter sickness.
• Flexible pickup (older dogs, returns, no firm date): the breeder gets 7 days to confirm a date. If no date is set within 30 days of reservation, we flag as overdue.

Once a reservation flags overdue, we email both you and the breeder. Our admin team reviews each case within two business days. If the breeder confirms delivery happened, the reservation closes normally. If they can't or won't deliver, we issue your refund and help match you with another verified breeder.

Failed deliveries are recorded on the breeder's account. Breeders with poor delivery rates get reviewed and can be suspended from the marketplace. You can see each breeder's track record on their public profile page.

If the breeder is unable to fulfill — illness, a puppy fails veterinary clearance, the litter is smaller than expected, anything outside your control — you receive a full refund of your deposit, including the marketplace fee. This is covered by the Delivery Guarantee above. Email support@pickmepets.com with your reservation reference and we'll handle it.

Each puppy listing shows a pickup date set by the breeder — that's when the puppy is ready to go home (typically 8–12 weeks old). The remaining balance is paid directly to the breeder at pickup. Pick Me Pets isn't involved in the balance payment.

The day of pickup, we email you a one-tap "Confirm pickup" link. Tapping it marks the reservation as fulfilled and updates the breeder's verified-delivery history. If you don't act within 7 days, we auto-confirm so the breeder isn't stuck waiting.

The same email link has a "Report a problem" option. Use it if the puppy is in a condition that doesn't match what was listed — health issues the breeder didn't disclose, wrong puppy, anything material. We route the report to a KennelBoss admin who reviews and can issue a refund out of the platform fee or escalate with the breeder.

For congenital health issues that surface after pickup, the breeder's own health guarantee applies. Each puppy listing shows the specific guarantee terms for that breeder — read them before you reserve.

Every breeder on Pick Me Pets sets their own health guarantee. Terms vary by breeder — some offer 12 months on congenital defects, some 24, some lifetime on specific conditions like hip dysplasia. The exact terms appear on each puppy's page and again on your reservation confirmation.

If a covered condition is identified by a licensed veterinarian within the guarantee window, contact the breeder first. Most guarantees offer either a replacement puppy from a future litter or a partial refund of the adoption price; veterinary expenses are typically not covered. Pick Me Pets mediates if breeder and buyer can't agree.

1. Talk to the breeder first. Most refund situations resolve faster directly. Use the messages thread on your reservation page.
2. If the breeder won't refund and you think they should, email support@pickmepets.com with your reservation reference and what happened. We respond within two business days.
3. Approved refunds appear back on your card in 5–10 business days.

If we can't resolve a situation between you and the breeder, Pick Me Pets mediates. Our decision is final for marketplace disputes, informed by the signed adoption contract, the breeder's guarantee, and the deposit acknowledgment you ticked at checkout.

Payment-network chargebacks (going to your card issuer directly) are reviewed against this policy and the evidence we hold — including your contemporaneous "I understand" acknowledgment. We strongly prefer talking it out before either side escalates.