A Dog or Puppy Bill of Sale is a legal document used to finalize the sale or transfer of a dog in exchange for cash or trade. Signed, dated & third-party-verified, it lays down specific terms & conditions for both parties to understand and agree to. It also collates dog-specific information to help identify and care for the canine in question after the sale.
Whether the transaction involves a sale, trade, gift, or adoption, this document acts as official proof that a change of ownership has occurred. Even in cases of gifts or informal adoptions, completing a Bill of Sale is needed because it ensures transparency and protects both parties from potential disputes. Once signed, the new owner can use it as proof of ownership, which may be required for licensing, insuring, accessing veterinary services, or registering with breeding clubs or associations.
Note: Use version II if the sale includes a trade or gift.
Version II
Version II
How To Use Our Premade Bill of Sale
Our template is free, print-ready, and fillable. You can easily download the PDF, print it, and fill out the necessary details by hand. Prefer working online? Open the template in Google Docs or another cloud-based editor to customize it digitally.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to using our template:
- Insert the date of the sale. All agreed terms & conditions shall be effective as of this date.
- Specify the governing state whose laws will apply to the sale. In the event of legal disputes over ownership, condition, or payment, this information will prove crucial, clarifying which specific laws & regulations apply to a particular sale or transfer.
- Identify the parties to the sale (buyer & seller). Add full legal names, addresses, and contact information to ensure there is no doubt about who is selling the dog to whom.
- Indicate the agreed-upon price. In addition to serving as legal proof of the transaction during disputes, this information is also crucial for tax, insurance, and valuation purposes.
- Specify your preferred method of payment, whether cash, check, e-transfer, or debit/credit card. In case of non-monetary payments, for example, if a seller gifted or traded the pet to the buyer, you can use this alternate version of the template.
- Record important information about the dog, such as name, breed, sex, color, date of birth, and general state of health. The more detailed & accurate the description, the better.
- Confirm whether the paid price includes taxes or not. If included, specify who shall be responsible for paying them.
- Confirm whether the buyer is entitled to a pre-sale examination of a dog by a registered veterinarian. If so, specify the exact date when the exam took place.
- Add supporting material to verify specific claims or information promised in the Bill of Sale, for example, a copy of the parents’ pedigrees (in case of purebreds) or past health records containing information on vaccine shots, etc.
- Execute the agreement by adding dated signatures of both parties (seller and buyer). As a rule of thumb, the buyer’s signature is not needed. However, you are advised to get the form signed by both parties for maximum authentication. If extra verification is required, have the agreement signed by a witness.
- Notarize the final document by signing the Bill in the presence of a Notary Public, who verifies the identities of the buyer and seller before adding their official seal and signature. This makes the document harder to dispute in legal proceedings.
Dog-specific Information
Both the buyer and the seller have a right to certain information before a sale. This is especially true for professional dog breeders who have a commercial interest and stake in each dog sale.
Use the ‘Additional Details’ section in our template to indicate:
- If the dog is spayed or neutered
- If the dog has been microchipped
- If the dog has special grooming or dietary needs
- If the dog has a genetic predisposition to a certain disease
- If the dog has any distinctive markings or features to distinguish it from dogs of the same breed
- If the dog is trained for a particular purpose (say, hunting), the extent of training
- If the dog was bred by the seller or a third party
- If the dog has been implicated in any legal cases, for example, in a divorce case, the court may already have ruled on who gets to keep the dog.
- If the sale covers other items, such as a crate, toys, a dog bed, etc.
When commenting on the state of health of a dog, ensure to include any pertinent information & records about the following, where applicable:
- Skin issues
- Ear infections
- Urinary tract infections
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dental disease
- Parasites
- Obesity
List of Supporting Documents
Here’s a list of supporting materials you can attach to a Dog Bill of Sale:
- Previous bill of sale (if any)
- Proof of purebred lineage.
- Certificate from the American Kennel Club or another registry.
- Veterinary Health Certificate
- Vaccination records (rabies, distemper, parvo, etc.).
- Microchip registration documents (if applicable)
- Spay/Neuter Certificate (if applicable)
- Confirms sterilization, often required by rescues or breeders with pet-only contracts.
- Health warranty (may include refund/replacement terms if congenital or hereditary issues arise)
- Return Policy Agreement
- Proof of ownership
- Adoption paperwork
- Training records (Helpful for service dogs)
- Dietary instructions
Our Template Is Ideal For…
- Dog owners who want to sell, or can no longer take care of a dog
- Dog breeders
- Breeding associations
- Pet shops
- Individual pet dealers
- Animal shelters & rescue organisations
- Dog buyers
If you are a dog breeder or regular pet seller, feel free to use our free Dog/Puppy Sales Receipt template to create receipts each time you sell a puppy!
