Breeder maintaining "partial ownership"??

I was online looking at African Pygmy Hedgehogs and came across more than one site where in the terms and conditions, it clearly states that if you purchase a hedgehog, you are not allowed to breed, sell, give away or otherwise do as you wish with your pet. If at any point you decide you no longer want the animal, you are to return the animal to them (the breeder) at YOUR expense. They will not pay you for the animal... they will take it off your hand for the animals protection. I have heard of this before when looking at Bengal cats, many other cat breeds actually...

THis in my opinion seems like a way for a breeders to maintain control of a market and to try to prevent competition. Is this even legal? Is any paperwork you sign with them even binding? It seems ridiculous that this can even be attempted in this day and age.

thoughs? I would love to hear from breeders about this subject... please.... help me to understand where they get off telling you that you dont have the right to sell, give away or breed an animal you pay out literally HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of dollars for.

Thats kind of like a car dealer saying... "well, you can buy this car... but if you decide you dont want it anymore, you have to bring i back to us and we will take it off your hands for you... for FREE"

I guess if it is in the agreement and you sign it or buy the animal technically they could hold you to it. That is if they wanted to go through the hassle and if they ever found out about it. I suppose if they tattooed or micro chipped their animals they could prove it but other wise you could just say the one you got from them died. If it were me doing the buying I'd do whatever the heck I wanted with the animal though if I tired of him. There is no way I'd send it back for free on my dime and if I did I'd say they couldn't breed it or resell it.

I can see two reasons (well three actually but I'm skeptical about the third) for this. One, as you said it keeps you from becoming the competition: two, they may get free breeders back but I wonder if they would want a 5 year old sterile male hedgehog with one eye and three legs or if they just might let you give that one to a neighbor; and three they just may be concerned about the care that their animals get (that is the one that I am skeptical about)

Yes, as some of us answered in your other thread those sorts of terms are legal, buyers and sellers can put what terms they wish in a contract. Don't like it? Negotiate a contract change or walk away.

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=282191