Animal transactions — the purchase and sale of a horse, a pet or a sporting animal in a sporting context — are written in Georgia under the general rules of sale, and one special norm extends to them as well: the owner's strict liability for the damage the animal causes to another. On this page we explain how these five norms build the legal frame of animal deals — from the duty of delivery to the allocation of costs and the compensation of damage.
The Concept of Sale — What the Buyer Receives
Under the Civil Code's sale norm, the seller must transfer to the buyer the right of ownership in the property, the documents connected with it, and deliver the goods; the buyer must pay the agreed price and accept the purchased property. Translated to the purchase of an animal: the seller hands over not only the animal but also the documents — veterinary records, certificates of origin, and for a sporting animal the papers of results and registration. Where the price is not directly indicated in the contract, the parties may agree on the means of determining it — for example, an appraisal or a market review; a determinable-price formula should be put into the contract in writing.