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BreederHQ Marketplace

Buying Safely on BreederHQ

BreederHQ is a marketplace, not a broker. Every transaction is between you and the breeder directly. Here’s what we do, what we don’t do, and what you should do before sending any money.

What BreederHQ does for you

Identity passthrough from Stripe Identity

When a breeder completes identity verification through Stripe Identity (operated by Stripe, Inc.), we display an “Identity confirmed via Stripe Identity” indicator on their profile with the date of the verification. We surface what Stripe returned; we don’t perform the verification ourselves.

Public-registry confirmation, where available

For credentials issued by bodies that maintain a public registry (such as OFA, AKC, or AFA), we may query the registry and display a “Confirmed via [registry] registry” indicator that links to the source record. We’re passing through what the registry returned on the date shown; the registry is the authoritative source. Credentials without a public-registry indicator are the breeder’s own representation, and you should confirm them directly with the issuing body.

Transparent breeder profiles

Health practices, registrations, placement policies, return commitments, testimonials — all visible on the breeder’s profile before you ever send an inquiry. If a breeder hasn’t published it, that’s information too. The breeder is the source of this content; we surface it.

Audit-trailed messaging

When you submit an inquiry through BreederHQ, the conversation is recorded in your account. If something goes wrong, you have a record of what was said and when.

Reporting and review

Every breeder profile has a Report Breeder action. Reports are reviewed by our team. Where a report concerns a displayed credential, we may suspend display of that credential pending the breeder’s response.

What we don’t do

We’re telling you this directly because trust starts with honesty.

  • We don’t hold reservation fees in escrow. Money goes directly from you to the breeder.
  • We don’t guarantee refunds. Refund terms come from the breeder’s published policies and any contract you sign.
  • We don’t insure the health of the animal. The breeder’s health guarantee, if they offer one, is the relevant document.
  • We don’t verify, vet, evaluate, or vouch for breeders, breeder credentials, breeder uploaded documents, or breeder competence. Where you see “Identity confirmed via Stripe Identity” or “Confirmed via [registry] registry” on a profile, those are passthroughs from the named third party; everything else on a breeder’s profile is the breeder’s own representation.
  • We are not a party to your transaction. We host the breeder’s profile and surface the data they’ve provided. You decide what level of trust to extend.

The steps below are how you protect yourself when working with any breeder, on or off our platform.

Before you send any money

  1. Read the breeder’s placement policies. They’re on the breeder’s profile. Look for the return window, take-back commitment, contract requirement, and health guarantee. If something isn’t there, ask.
  2. Confirm credentials with the issuing body. If a breeder lists a registry membership, certification, or health-testing result, confirm it directly with the registry or issuing body. Where you see a “Confirmed via [registry] registry” indicator, follow the link to the source record. Where you don’t, look the credential up yourself.
  3. Get any commitment in writing through BreederHQ messaging. Verbal promises don’t leave a record. Messages on our platform do.
  4. Verify the animal exists. Ask for a video call with the animal, a recent dated photo, or a facility visit. Many breeders explicitly offer these, and you can filter for them on the Breeders page.
  5. Ask for the contract before paying a reservation fee. A reputable breeder will share their contract on request. Read it before you transfer money.
  6. Use a payment method with buyer recourse. Pay through the methods the breeder publishes, typically a bank-supported payment service tied to their business. Avoid gift cards, wire transfers to unrelated accounts, and cryptocurrency.
  7. Trust your gut. If a breeder pushes you to pay quickly, refuses a video call, or won’t put commitments in writing, walk away.

Common red flags

  • The breeder refuses every form of pre-purchase verification (no video call, no facility visit, no recent dated photo).
  • Pricing is significantly below market for the breed.
  • Pressure to pay a non-refundable reservation fee immediately to “hold” the animal.
  • Insistence on payment via gift card, wire transfer to a personal account, or cryptocurrency.
  • Inability or refusal to share a written contract before payment.
  • Vague or shifting answers about where the animal is located, who its parents are, or when it can come home.
  • Credentials claimed on the profile that the issuing body cannot confirm when you contact them directly.

If something goes wrong

  1. Document what happened in writing through BreederHQ messaging if you can. Note dates, what was said, and what was promised.
  2. Use the Report Breeder action on the breeder’s profile to flag it for our team.
  3. If your payment provider offers buyer protection (most credit cards and bank-supported payment services do), open a case with them in parallel.
  4. For urgent animal-welfare concerns, contact your local animal control authority first. They can act faster than we can.

Frequently asked questions

What if a breeder stops responding after I send an inquiry?↓

Inquiries on BreederHQ are tracked in your account. If a breeder hasn't responded within their stated response window, you can follow up directly from your inquiry record. If they remain unresponsive after a reasonable follow-up, contact our support team. The breeder's profile indicators (such as their typical response time) reflect data BreederHQ tracks; if the underlying response data changes, the indicator changes with it.

What if the animal arrives sick or isn't what was described?↓

Your transaction is governed by the breeder's published placement policies and any contract you signed with them. Most established breeders publish a health guarantee or return window. Read these carefully on the breeder's profile before paying any reservation fee. If a breeder violates their stated policy or the basic representations they made on BreederHQ, file a report from their profile and our team will review.

Does BreederHQ hold my reservation fee or guarantee my refund?↓

No. Reservation fees and payments flow directly between you and the breeder. We do not operate an escrow service and we do not guarantee refunds. What we do is host the breeder's profile, surface the breeder's published policies, provide an audit trail of your inquiry conversation, and (where the breeder has completed it) display an identity-confirmed indicator from Stripe Identity. The information is provided so you can decide what level of trust to extend before sending money.

How do I know the breeder is who they say they are?↓

Breeders can complete identity verification through Stripe Identity (operated by Stripe, Inc., not by BreederHQ). When a breeder has completed Stripe Identity verification, you'll see an "Identity confirmed via Stripe Identity" indicator on their profile with the date of the verification. The verification itself is performed by Stripe. BreederHQ surfaces the result; it does not perform the verification and does not vouch for the breeder's competence, character, or fitness beyond surfacing the data the breeder has provided and the indicators on their profile.

What about credentials and registry status?↓

Breeders can attest to credentials, registry memberships, and certifications on their profile, and may upload supporting documents. BreederHQ does not open, read, or evaluate uploaded documents. Where BreederHQ has built an integration with an issuing body's public registry (such as OFA, AKC, or AFA), you may see a "Confirmed via [registry] registry" indicator that links to the source record at the registry; that indicator means the registry returned a matching record on the date shown. For any credential without that public-registry indicator, the credential is the breeder's own representation, and you should confirm it directly with the issuing body before relying on it.

Should I meet the breeder or visit their facility before buying?↓

We strongly recommend it. Many breeders on BreederHQ explicitly offer facility visits, video calls, or pickup-only options, and you can filter for these on the Breeders index page. A breeder who refuses every form of pre-purchase verification is a red flag.

Should I pay outside of the breeder's normal channels?↓

No. Pay only through the methods the breeder publishes, typically a bank-supported payment service tied to their business. Be cautious of anyone who insists on gift cards, wire transfers to unrelated accounts, or cryptocurrency. These are common patterns in pet-buying scams, regardless of which platform brought you together.

How do I report a problem?↓

Every breeder profile has a Report Breeder action. Use it for misrepresentation, broken commitments, or violations of our Acceptable Use Policy. For urgent animal-welfare concerns, contact your local animal control authority first. They can act faster than we can.

See also: Terms of Service · Help Center