Breeding Program Questions

1. Do I need business insurance for my breeding program?

Many states require businesses with employees to purchase workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance. Many other types of business insurance are optional and not typically required by law, but you should always review your state’s specific laws, which may mandate insurance requirements. You might consider certain coverage, such as a business owners policy, which typically includes coverage for general liability, property damage and business income.

2. I am using a company to transport my puppies to their puppy buyers. How can I protect myself if anything goes wrong during the transportation of my pups?

First, you should read any paperwork and/or contract provided to you by the transportation company. Many transportation companies will have limited liability provisions, which limit the exposure the transporter will face if anything goes wrong during the transportation process. While most companies will limit their liability to the broadest extent possible, you should make sure that there is (or you could ask to include) a carve out from the limitation of liability provision for problems that occur due to the willful or intentional misconduct or gross negligence of the transportation company. The provision could look something like this:

"Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the [TRANSPORTATION COMPANY] shall bear full responsibility, without limit, for any gross negligence or willful or intentional misconduct attributable to its personnel."

You should also clearly communicate to your puppy buyer that you are using a third party method of transportation that both you and the puppy buyer have agreed upon. You should also make clear that you do not have full control over the actions of this third party transportation company and could also consider adding a provision to your contract with your puppy buyer, where they acknowledge that you will not have liability for anything that goes wrong during the transportation process:

"[PUPPY BUYER] acknowledges and agrees that [BREEDER] shall have no liability whatsoever for any damage, loss or expense of any kind suffered or incurred by the PUPPY BUYER arising from or incident to the transportation of the puppy by [TRANSPORTER]."

You can also review our article -- Good transporters to help you safely transport your pups! -- for a list of recommended transporters, and other questions you should ask your transporter before selecting them.

Disclaimer: This resource is provided for general information purposes only, and shall not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. Any advice we provide does not create an attorney-client relationship. We are not acting as your lawyer and are not barred to practice in your state. We would recommend connecting with a lawyer in your state if you are able. Legal advice is dependent upon the specific circumstances of each situation and the law may vary from state to state. Some information in this resource center may not be correct for your state or for your specific circumstances. This resource was prepared only in accordance with U.S. law and does not reflect the laws of any other country. Good Dog expressly disclaims all liability in respect of actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents in this resource center.