This guide explains the reservation deposit process, the security measures in place to protect your funds, and your simple role in finalizing the transaction.
Your deposit serves as a commitment to the seller. By paying the deposit, the pet is immediately taken off the market and reserved exclusively for you.
Payment: You pay the deposit amount plus a small Buyer Service Fee (if applicable) through Stripe.
Initial Status: Your order status becomes Pending Approval.
Your funds are immediately placed into a secure Escrow Hold managed by the platform and Stripe.
Money Held Securely: The funds are kept safely in the platform's Stripe account. The breeder does not receive the deposit money yet.
Protection Period: This protects you until you have physically received and inspected the pet.
Once you have the pet, you have one critical action to perform to finalize the transaction.
Action | Why You Must Do It |
Confirm Pet Received | This is the release trigger. By clicking this button, you instruct Stripe to transfer the deposit funds from our escrow account to the seller's account. |
Log in to your dashboard and navigate to My Reservations.
Find the reserved order.
Click the "Confirm Pet Received" button.
Final Status: The order marks as Completed, and the transaction is final.
The remaining balance for the pet is NOT handled by Stripe. You must arrange payment for the balance directly with the seller (cash, bank transfer, etc.) upon pickup/delivery.
You are fully protected against the seller canceling the agreement or failing to provide the pet.
Scenario | Deposit Resolution | Your Required Action |
Seller Rejects Request | FULL REFUND. The breeder declines your initial request. | No action required. The refund is processed automatically. |
Seller Approves, But You Cancel | REFUND DEPENDS ON SELLER. You must submit a cancellation request through your dashboard, and the seller must approve it. | Submit cancellation request and wait for seller approval. |
Buyer Fails to Pay Balance | DEPOSIT FORFEITED. If you fail to show up for pickup or do not pay the remaining balance, the deposit is forfeited to the seller. | N/A (Deposit covers the seller's losses). |
The system includes an automated timer to prevent funds from being stuck if you forget to confirm.
Auto-Release Risk: If you forget to confirm the order, the system will automatically release the funds to the seller after the defined Auto-Release Escrow Days expires (e.g., 7 days).
The Danger: If the pet had a severe, unforeseen issue at the moment of handover and you forgot to report it before the automatic timer expires, raising a dispute becomes much more difficult.
Recommendation: If you accept the pet, confirm receipt immediately. If you notice an issue, report it to the seller and the platform before the timer runs out.