Filing
a Complaint Against a Listed Breeder
IMPORTANT:
Recently I have received complaints from people
about breeders who do not list with the FBRL. In some
cases, these people are not even cat breeders. I can
only act upon cases regarding current FBRL-listed CAT
breeders, because the worst thing I can do to them is
to eject them to the service.
Please do not submit complaints about breeders
who are not cat breeders and who are not CURRENT subscribers
to the FBRL.
Please be aware that I cannot act
on ANY complaint immediately. Such matters require careful
consideration, and in most cases I will need an opportunity
to discuss the situation with the Advisory Committee and
to contact the breeder to get the breeder's side of the
story. I must be fair to all parties -- to you and to
the breeder. My power to act in these situations is limited.
I ALMOST NEVER eject breeders permanently
from the FBRL as the result of one substantiated complaint,
except in extremely limited circumstances. These circumstances
include but are not limited to: having cats confiscated
by animal control, being convicted of a charge related to
animal cruelty, or being ejected permanently from a major
cat registry. I have occasionally removed breeders in proven cases where fraud or misrepresentation of themselves, their cats, and their cattery are involved.
A single substantiated complaint will go
on file. If I get a second substantiated complaint about
the same breeder from a different source about an unrelated
case within five (5) years, I will consider permanent expulsion.
Here is what you should know about filing
a complaint:
I am primarily interesteded in cases where a breeder
has sold an ill, parasite-infested, or otherwise harmed
or unhealthy cat AND HAS NOT OFFERED A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE
WHEN APPRISED OF THE SITUATION. Do not contact me
before you contact the breeder! Give the breeder the opportunity
to fix the problem. If the breeder is unwilling to fix
the issue, THEN I would like to hear about it.
Protect yourself from these situations by becoming an
informed consumer.
Get the Janaury 1997 issue of CATS Magazine and read
my tips for becoming an informed buyer. Insist on a written
health guarantee. Keep careful notes of any situation
that might arise. Know your rights.
I am NOT able to help with complaints involving money
disputes. In situations where there is a financial
dispute, such as deposit arguments or problems, failure
to refund money, or similar things that boil down to arguments
over money, your best recourse is through an attorney
and/or small claims court.
There is nothing I can do under these circumstances.
It is too hard to discern truth from my position in these
matters.
I am only an advertising service,
not the cat police. The ONLY thing I can do is to
remove the person permanently from the service, IF the
situation warrants removal and after proper procedure
has been followed. I have a well-laid-out set of procedures
I use to deal with the most serious situations. I attempt
to be fair to all concerned. Depending on the severity
of the situation, you might be better off going to the
local Humane Society, Better Business Bureau, small claims
court, private attorney, or the registries, as well as
informing me. Remember, I almost never remove breeders
on the basis of one complaint.
Do not send third-party complaints.
I only want to hear from those who have been directly
hurt by a breeder's actions. Complaints that are essentially
photocopies of someone else's complaint documentation
will be disregarded. This is because I have no way to
question the injured party and see if the situation has
been resolved or not. I also question the motives of people
who send me such documentation when the injured parties
won't come forward themselves.
Identify yourself completely when
you contact me with a complaint. Please include your
full name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
Include all relevant details, including dates where possible
(sometimes I can advise you about relevant laws if you
live in Lemon Law state), the name of the breeder in question,
and if possible, supporting documentation such as veterinary
letters and bills. If you wish your name kept confidential,
please indicate this as well. I will not respond to
anonymous complaints under any circumstances.
Provide documentation. Without documentation,
situations often boil down to "he said/she said" arguments.
I will not follow up on any complaint without documentation.
The following documents are most helpful to me:
-
- copy of sales contracts and health guarantees
signed by both parties (seller and buyer)
- veterinary documents -- photocopies of medical
records, bills, a letter from your veteriarian
- records from animal control, newspaper articles,
etc.
- photocopies of registry suspension notices from
association magazines
The following documents do NOT constitute
proper documentation on their own, but may be submitted
ONLY as supporting information with proper documentation
as outlined above:
- copies of e-mails to and from the breeder (this
one is very mushy -- e-mails are too easy to falsify)
- copies of protest letters sent to associations (a
protest is not proof)
What else can you do?
Here are some other ways you can deal with
a problem breeder:
- Try to resolve the problem calmly and rationally with
the breeder first. In most cases, no further action
is necessary.
- Complain to the breeder's registering body. You can
find links to most associations on the Articles page.
Most associations have a set procedure for filing such
complaints. Contact the association and ask for the
appropriate paperwork. Like the FBRL, however, most
associations are unable and unwilling to get involved
in personal and financial disputes.
- If the problem involves physical abuse of an animal,
local animal control should be your first line of action.
- Take the breeder to small claims court. Many times
if you do not have a written sales contract and health
guarantee with a breeder, such action is not very fruitful.
However, it does send a strong message and may be worth
doing. Filing in small claims is not expensive and you
do not need an attorney.
How to send complaints and supporting
documentation
Step 1: Fill out the Breeder
Complaint Form.
Step 2: Submit supporting
documentation:
- E-mail (only AFTER submitting the form): complaints@breedlist.com
- Mail: FBRL Services, PO
Box 254, North Chili, NY 14514
- FAX: 585-889-8561 (24-hour dedicated FAX line)
-
I will try to respond within two business
days and keep you apprised of the situation, as long
as they fit into the rules above. Unfortunately, some
complaints are not things I can resolve. There are some
things I just cannot fix. I do as best as one person
is able to do.
|
