Sold 2 mini-cattle, now need to vent...

[started*with*chickens]

We started with 4 mini-cattle and knew we wouldn't keep them all. We waited a little while, made sure everyone was healthy and decided to sell the cow and bull. I was 100% honest in what we were selling. Posted a link to the original breeder to show what they would be getting, gave ages and histories on both. A couple about 2 hrs away really, really wanted them. The wife said her husband has always wanted miniature cattle. They didn't have the cash so we accepted a trade, knowing we could sell the item (plus we were really wanting them off of our feed bill). They then said we could have 3 of their goats (our pick) for gas money to deliver them. So we did. We get there and they don't really want to give us 'our pick' of the goats but because we don't plan to keep them, we didn't make a big deal about it. I guess we could have (now I think we should have) but we were being nice. My husband checked over the traded item (told the guy he knew exactly how much it was worth, not the amount he was saying that was twice as much). We were ok with it because we really thought they wanted them as pets/livestock and we were 'helping them out'.

Now they have them listed for sale and aren't being truthful about their ages and saying they have FOUR times as much invested in them than they really do. It's so frustrating! Why can't people just be honest?! It would be different if they listed them as 'worth' a certain amount and weren't making the bull older than he is and the cow younger. I want to contact him (by email or text) and 'call them out' on it but my husband doesn't think it's worth it. Then I thought about posting a 'buyer beware' and let anyone who might possibly buy them at least know their true ages and background. It's not so much that we didn't get more for them, we were fine with what we got since we had bought them from people who were desperate to sell, it's that they weren't honest with us and now aren't being honest with potential buyers.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Oooooo! That is aggrevating! I would contact them and put a buyer beware up. But that is just me.

 

[secuono]

I would just post a buyer beware and be done with it. You cannot trust anyone, even less so on CL or people wanting trades/deals/'really wanting' and such. People suck in general...

 

[Rachel.And.Yue]

definitely put a buyer beware out

nothing I hate more then being lied to about what I am buying.

 

[norseofcourse]

I'd call to ask how they're doing with their new miniature cattle, and did they have any questions about caring for them, and you'd love to see pictures of how they're getting along at their new place... nice and friendly and with no mention that you'd seen them for sale.

Maybe even come up with something like, 'my kids got really attached and they'd like to come out and visit them next week or so' just to see what they'd say...


And yes, you can also post a 'buyer beware' on craigslist, but those usually get reported and taken down pretty fast. It's a shame they aren't being honest.

 

[chicks & ducks]

! Love Norseofcourse's idea!

 

[started*with*chickens]

I wish I would have called and checked on them before I emailed. I responded by email to their ad and brought up the wrong information. At first they tried saying my husband had given them the wrong info (not true, I placed the ad and put everything you can imagine in it). They kind of came off rude at first but they did change their ad to the correct info. They now have the correct ages, that they are a longhorn cross and have changed what they have 'invested' in them to what they are worth. I can't change the way people operate but I am glad that they will be a little more honest with whomever buys them. I just hope they go somewhere they can stay for awhile.

 

[promiseacres]

it's really annoying what people do with critters. at least be honest about stuff and I know things change and there's no real "forever" home but flipping animals is just annoying. glad you called them out.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Nicely done! At least they know that you are keen to their actions and at least they did change the information. It doesn't mean that they are going to be honest from this point forward, but you have done what you can. Hopefully it will at least make them think about it the next time knowing that people are watching.

 

[PendergrassRanch]

I feel your pain

I traded 2 ND's for a full grown Boer recently. The woman immediately put one of the does up for sale for twice what I had her up for.

Part of me is upset because she lied, and she is separating the sisters. The other part doesn't feel so bad because her boer is now in my freezer...of course what else does one do with a boer wether?