Adenovirus, Robert Wood. Everyone please give me your opinion.

I put a 7 1/2 week old male Hypomelanistic Bearded Dragon on hold for a guy by the name of Robert Wood. He told me that he lost his whole collection to Adenovirus, and what he didn't lose he sold to other people with the virus. He was suppost to pay me one week later for the dragon so that I could ship it out to him. He called me one week later and told me that he was having trouble with his paypal account. I told him that I would hold onto it for a few more days until he had it straightened out. I also went online for him and looked up the number for paypal customer service to give to him since he didn't have access to a computer at his home. This way he didn't have to take a trip down to the library or a friends house he said. He then paid me for it a about 4 days later on 8/9/04. I shipped to him that Monday, and he recieved it Tuesday morning by 10:30 a.m. As soon as he recieved it on Tuesday, he called me and told me how happy he and his partner were with it. How healthy the Dragon was and how much color it had. A few days later he called me saying that is was a different dragon that I sent him in the picture. I told him that I sent him a few different pictures to take a look at, and that the male that I sent him was the only one I had left. Therefore it is impossible that I could have sent him the wrong dragon. This phone call was on Wednesday morning, I told him that if he was that unhappy with the dragon he could ship it back to me for a refund of the purchase price of the Dragon. Even though my Terms and shipping page is very clear. I told him that I was leaving for The Daytona Florida Show that weekend and he would have to ship it to me on Monday for a Tuesday Delivery. This way I would be here to take a look at the animal when it came since I was leaving Tuesday night to take a look at property up north for our new facility.

He told me that he would ship it out on Monday. I came back from Florida, Hurricane and all. I had a message from Mr. Wood on my machine. It said that he thought the Dragon had Adenovirus and that it was showing all the same symptoms that his other dragons had. He said in the message that he wanted to ship the dragon back to me and get a FULL refund including shipping both ways. Mind you this is now a week later from when he recieved the dragons and was thrilled the day he recieved it! Now he is saying it was showing signs the day he recieved it, even though he was happy as can be and did not say anything about it until a week later.

So after all of this I decided I am not giving him a refund, and would like your opinion on this. Am I crazy!?! to not want a dragon back in my collection that has the potential to wipe out my whole collection??? He is convinced that I am ripping him off, and I think that I am doing the same thing any of you would. Would you want this potentially infected bearded dragon back knowing that you don't have this virus in your collection and almost his whole entire collection was wiped out by it, and he sold some dragons with the virus. Please give me your opinion on this. It would be much appreciated.

I thought adenovirus was a viral infection in dogs. I'm not for sure that it can't happen to reptiles, but I know we vaccinate our dogs against it. I think reptiles cannot get the same viral infections as mammals though, consult a vet to be sure.

No, I would not consider taking the animal back or refunding the money.
Howard Ross

I spent a couple hours doing some research on it last night when I got home from Florida. It seems to be one of the more common viruses with baby bearded dragons. Thank you for your opinion.

Hmm, definitely sounds fishy to me....probably the best route for you to go would be to tell him that you are not going to take the Dragon back due to the risk of the virus being introduced into your collection, and that he is not going to get any money back from you since he stated that his former collection had the virus and he very well may have given his new Dragon the virus himself.

Even though my Terms and shipping page is very clear.

You said it yourself right there. You should not have violated your own terms and conditions on this deal by offering to take it back.

However, if he received it Tuesday morning and then called you Wednesday morning, that's only one day, not a few days later.

Yet, he didn't ship it on Monday, and didn't accept your offer to return the dragon for a refund minus shipping.

I'd consider it a done deal at this point.

I agree with Howard on this one.... sometimes you HAVE TO take a stand and not be pushed around due to "buyer's remorse".... let him say whatever he wants.... you know the truth, and HE knows the truth.... you did NOTHING wrong in what you've done.... you went above and beyond what most people would have done to begin with.... I applaud you for that.... now, he's just trying to take advantage of your good nature.... give him NOTHING!!

Neil

Neil is right on this one just like everyone else seems to be. First, if he did in fact have adenovirus in his collection and did not properly and fully disinfect all caging and he placed the new baby into a previously used cage, he may well have given his new baby the virus his own self. Also, anyone who works with dragons for very long knows that they do have a variety of color displayed in each individual animal depending upon their environment and other factors associated with their captivity.

Chalk this one up to experience and just move on. Almost every seller of animals as at one time or another experienced something similar and eventually they've all had to take a hard line with the buyer. Guess this it's your turn now. While it's not always easy, it will be in your best interest this time and for future reference. Sure, there will be times when exceptions to the rule will apply, but this time JUST SAY NO!

Good luck.

David

I appreciate all of your replies. I try to do my best to satisfy my customers and this is why I go the extra mile to do so. Thank you all for your time.

well wasnt it nice of him to sell the other sick dragon off that werent already dead to some unknowing customer.... would be nice if they could know considering it can wipe out a beardie collection...
sounds like a great guy :Puke:

sstand your ground you do not want back an animal that could possibly be infected with a virus he may (most likely) be harboring at his home.facility whatever. and by no means do you have to send him any refund... it not nice but sometimes ya just gotta stand up straight scratch your cajones be firm and say no, no matter what the other party says