So...what's the incentive for the owner with the "change of heart" to honor the contract and give back the dog (thus forfeiting $1000+)? The majority of people in the world aren't chazzers and see dogs as an object, so I can see why they'd want to get money for the dog if they thought they could.
I mean, I see it on Craigslist ALL. THE. TIME. "Paid $500 for the dog 2 months ago, just looking to recoup my costs", etc. Not right, I don't like it, but I see where they're coming from and it would be hard to convince someone that the better option is to give the dog up for free if they have someone offering them $500 for the critter.