For example, you may want your pet to continue going to the same vet. If the new owner lives in the same town as you, they may agree to do this. If your pet is currently taking any medications, discuss this continued treatment with the new owner. Make sure they understand the dosing schedule.

For example, if you and your new owner live in North Carolina, you wouldn’t want to copy an agreement clause that stated the agreement was governed by the laws in the state of California. Pet attorneys and legal document websites also have sample transfer of ownership agreements you can use. Some of them will charge a fee for you to access or create these documents.

State the address of the primary residence of both you and the new owner. You may also want to include additional contact information, such as phone numbers or email addresses.

Many transfer of ownership agreements also include medical information about the pet, such as a record of veterinary checkups and vaccinations. You may also want to disclose if your pet has any diagnosed medical conditions, such as a heart murmur or hip dysplasia. Include license or tag numbers and any registration or microchip numbers associated with your pet. Add a disclaimer that these numbers will be transferred to the new owner. Typically this is your responsibility as the old owner of the pet.

If both you and the new owner live in the same state, you can simply provide that the agreement will be governed by the laws of the state in which you both live. If you live in different states, discuss the issue with the new owner. You also want to state where and how the agreement can be enforced. You can elect to go to court to enforce the agreement if necessary, or you can provide for mediation or arbitration. While it’s unlikely you’ll have to do this, the point of a written contract is to make sure all bases are covered.

In most states it isn’t necessary to sign your agreement in front of a notary. However, you may want to do so to prevent disputes later on. For example, the new owner could claim they never signed the document. A notarized signature would prove they had.

The form requires information about you and the new owner, as well as basic information about the pet. You will have to include the pet’s license number, and typically a brief description of the animal.

Once you’ve signed the form, make two copies so both you and the new owner will have a copy for your personal files. You’ll have to turn in the original to the city or county animal control authority.

There typically isn’t a fee to simply transfer the license to a new owner. However, if the new owner wants to have a new license number issued, or wants new tags printed, they may have to pay a fee.

If you’re not sure which service registers your pet’s microchip, you can find out by looking up the microchip number at http://www. petmicrochiplookup. org/.

In most cases, it takes 2 to 3 weeks for the transfer of microchip registration to take effect.

Pedigreed dogs in the United States are registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC). [13] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source

Make sure you provide a complete mailing address for the new owner. This is the address the pedigree association will use to mail the new owner a new certificate. Dogs may require a supplemental transfer form. This is usually the case if the dog has had more than 2 registered owners.

The procedure for dogs is slightly different. There is another section of transfer information that must be completed and signed by the new owner. The new owner then sends the certificate to the AKC. [16] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source

Include a check or money order for the transfer fees. These fees are typically around $20 or $30. Check the website of the pedigree association to find up-to-date fee information.