My remote transmitter was devoured by my new puppy. I bought a universal replacement, but it does not link up with the one in the fan. I was told by an electrician that I must buy a new fan and they can put the remote in it since the original fan came with its own remote. This seems a bit fishy. Can't we just remove the remote from the original and replace it? Actually, I have two fans with the same problem. Puppy got to both of them! One is a Hunter and one is Hampton Bay.

That "electrician" is either a fool or a liar. You can buy a universal remote but buy the one with its own receiver. Replace the transmiter and receiver at the same time and you are done.