> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.creatures.com/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # Paying a private deposit on one animal A private deposit link lets a breeder hold one animal for you before the sale. Open the link, sign in, check the amount and the refund policy, then pay. Your deposit counts toward the final price. ## Open the link The breeder sends the link by email or text. It opens a page called **Deposit for** and the animal's name, with a photo, the amount, and **Private deposit invite**. If the breeder added a note, it shows under the amount as **Note from the seller**, and again on the payment page and in your deposit emails. - **Signed in:** select **Continue to payment**. Creatures connects the deposit to your account and opens the payment page. - **Not signed in:** select **Create account** or **Sign in**. You come back to the same page after. ![Private deposit invite for Glen Lyon Maisie with a $500 amount and Continue to payment](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/af2/ce4/07c/8ffd7.png?width=712) Don't forward the link. The first account that continues from it becomes the buyer, and no one else can use it after that. A link stays open for 30 days from when the breeder last sent it. If the page says the invite expired or was cancelled, ask the breeder for a fresh link. ## Check the refund policy Read the **Refund policy** before you pay. Its labels tell you: - whether the deposit is **Refundable**, **Partially refundable**, or refundable only for a set number of days, - any cooling-off period, such as **7 day cooling-off**, and - when Creatures releases the money to the breeder, such as **Released to breeder at handoff**. On the payment page, open **Full policy details** for the exact terms. ![Deposit refund policy labels and what happens next after paying](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/07c/fde/e50/28004.png?width=712) ## Pay the deposit On the payment page, enter your payment details, agree to the terms, and select **Pay $X deposit**. When the payment goes through, the page says the deposit is recorded. Creatures holds your deposit until the release point shown in the policy. The deposit doesn't go through a public listing. The link is just for you. Once you've paid, the animal shows **Reserved** to everyone else, and no one else can buy it. ## Find it later Your deposit appears in **Dashboard > Buying > Purchases**, marked **Private animal deposit** and **Deposit held**. On a phone, tap your profile picture, then **Dashboard**. Select **Open deposit** to see it again. ![Purchase card for a private animal deposit showing Deposit held, Pass this match and Open deposit](https://cdn-test.creatures.com/1ce/837/a36/7ace7.png?width=780) If the breeder's match isn't right for you, select **Pass this match**. Your place stays active while they offer a different match. ## Pay the rest When the animal is ready, the breeder sends a balance invoice. Your deposit is applied as a credit, so you pay only what's left. On the Purchases card, select **Pay remaining balance**. Once the animal is home, select **Confirm pickup or delivery**. A deposit alone doesn't finish the sale. The sale is done once the balance is paid and the animal is handed over. ## If something goes wrong Message the breeder first. If you still need help, open the deposit page and select **Open a support request**. Choose **What happened?** and **What would resolve this?**, add details and a photo if it helps, then select **Submit to support**. ### Related information - [Reserving a place in a litter or group](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/reserving-from-a-breeder-applications-and-deposits-3yu25d/) - [How buying works: payments, held funds, and protection](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/how-buying-works-payments-held-funds-and-protection-dnwy7i/) - [Requesting a deposit for one animal (for sellers)](https://help.creatures.com/en/article/requesting-a-deposit-for-one-animal-1rsl4d9/)