Renting a Dog: Barking Up the Wrong Tree?
Harry Truman said, “If you want a friend, get a dog.”
But if you only want a temporary friend, should you rent a dog?
Jackpot, Pirate, and Tango are among the pooches available to lease by the hour or the day from Flexpetz, a dog rental company with offices in Los Angeles, New York and London.
While some upscale hotels have lent dogs to guests over the years, Flexpetz is making a business out of it. For a $99 administration charge, a $99 monthly membership fee, and a $150 mandatory training and orientation session, a customer can rent as many dog day afternoons as desired, for an additional $45 each.
Who rents a dog? People who travel a lot, people who live in places that don’t allow pets, and people like 26 year-old Sarah Stevenson, who moved to New York from Scotland. “It’s been difficult for me to meet people because everyone in New York just kind of goes about their business,” Stevenson lamented. But when she’s out walking a rented cockapoo named Oliver, “It becomes a nice way to meet people.”
Flexpetz says all of their dogs—some of which were rescued from animal shelters—wear GPS tracking collars and are fed “holistic dog food.” But that’s not enough to stop some critics from howling fowl over what they say is the unacceptable promotion of dogs as accessories.
The company was banned in Boston after the City Council unanimously passed an ordinance making dog letting illegal. “To rent a dog just seems wrong,” said one legislator. “I’m not for legislating morality, but it just seems like cruel and unusual treatment of a poor, defenseless animal.” A Boston newspaper editorial took issue with what it saw as people who “want the comfort of a pet, but not the full-time responsibility.”
“Pets are not like cars or furniture,” the Humane Society says. “Moving them from person to person, home to home, can induce problems such as anxiety and depression.”
But a psychologist counters that people who want to borrow a dog usually just want some companionship. “It may be a short bond,” he said, “but it’s a real bond.”
Tell us what you think: Is it irresponsible to rent a dog?
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As a dog rescuer and advocate, I strongly oppose this “Trend”.
Dogs are highly emotional, and suffer greatly when not part of a loving “pack”. While I understand that others may view this as acceptable for any number of ill thought out reasons, how about thinking about the shadow side of this, like what happens to these animals when not “in use”? Are they in cages, do they have health care? What happens to them when they become too old to go out?
Just like the puppy mills,or dogs on chains,it’s easy for the “caretakers” to SAY they are being cared for, but in reality…
Think about this as though you were renting out a child. These animals have similar emotional make up as human children. They are completely dependent upon us and thrive on routine and love.
Rescuing these dogs from shelters to
make a profit on then is abhorrent.
If people want to have time with an animal without the full time responsibility, they should go volunteer at a shelter or do fostering.
“Businesses” like these are not much better than puppy mills. They perpetuate the widely held belief that animals are usable, dispensable, unfeeling beings that are completely at our mercy.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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i totally agree with you on this
I totally agree with you on this. People are idiots for thinking that animals have no emotional feelings. If it’s that important for a person to rent a dog because they are lonely why not just go to the SPCA and adopt one ….hey never be lonely again. Right.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Would you
Would you rent a kid for the evening?
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Make the commitment
Although this is an innovative idea, I think a person who really wants a dog must have the ability within to make the commitment to picking the right dog, taking care of the dog, and giving the dog the loving home he deserves. I personally have had a dog since I am 1 year old, and no matter what stage of my life, I have always made the time for my pet. A dog deserves full time ownership with a permanent family.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Depends on the dog
Most people probably aren’t going to rent a dog over and over if the dog isn’t having fun too. If the dogs are depressed and having a difficult time with their situation, they probably aren’t going to make good companions for their renters anyway. I think the key would be having dogs with the right temperament and having them in a stable home for the majority of the time.
I agree that volunteering with a shelter would be a preferable (and cheaper) alternative, but for a variety of reasons that may not be practical for everyone. I don’t necessarily think this is bad for the dogs as long as they are being handled by their owners and renters with common sense and love.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Need companionship? Volunteer at a shelter
Need companionship? Volunteer at a shelter and donate the $45/hour you would have paid to the shelter that desperately needs it.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Renting a dog?
I read this article and was actually shocked to see that people rent a dog by what the hour or the day? Dogs have very real emotions and feelings and they meet someone and fall in love with them. The bond between a person and their dog is achieved through the dog’s unconditional trust and love in you. How confused must a dog be when they are with someone for a few hours then go back to their kennel then with someone else. Who do they trust?
Although therapy dogs bring lots of joy into people’s lives. Maybe we could look at Rent a Dog as therapy for a child who lives somewhere he or she can’t have a pet. So Mom or Dad rents a dog for the day and then the child gets the experience of playing with a dog in the park and could learn to respect his animal friends.
This is a very difficult subject to give a response to.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Rent a neighbors dog
Look around you, dogs are a dime a dozen. Somewhere their is a dog in your neighborhood that lives on a leash or gets little to no exercise. Ask to exercise that dog and you may even be doing the neighbor a favor who may not be able to exercise or give the dog the attention it needs. No to renting. Dogs need to know who they belong to also.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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I agree with Dave P. If you want to socialize with a dog (or cat), go to a local shelter. They need the help, and the animals are STARVING for attention and human touch. The idea of “renting” an animal is nuts! Who knows what’s really being done to them when their being “rented”, and it’s confusing to the animals to be passed around like property. This is just wrong!
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Dogs are NOT Accessories!
I agree with some of the posters above – dogs are not an accessory. If people truly want to enjoy the companionship of a dog but are unable to have one, then the shelters and rescue organizations are begging for people to spend time with the animals. It is free to do so and accomplishes the same task. Donate the money required to ‘rent’ a dog to the shelter and volunteer instead.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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