The Responsibility Project^®. Exploring what it means to do the right thing

Should You Rent a Pet?

257 Comments

September 25, 2008 by Kathy McManus

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":http://www.flexpetz.com/."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?

257 Comments

What do you think? Leave a comment

• September 26, 2008 by Brandylynn

  This is the first article I have read on this site. Although strange and weird, I feel sorry for the people that feel the need to rent a dog more than the dogs themselves. What I read makes me feel that the companies are going about it responsibly, and I'm sure these pooches are happier than the dogs I see chained up day and night in their owners yards. If I could rent my sweet Heidi out to responsible people, while I am at work all day, she would be the happiest hot dog on the planet. New and different people are her candy. Nothing she loves more. Especially when they are wanting her attentions. I do not think we need to spend much time on this issue.

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  • February 24, 2009 by jackryan

    Brandylynn---Gee, how comforting to know that from YOUR point of view, the rental dogs have nothing about which to worry. Sorry - the issue is much more complicated than that.

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  • June 25, 2009 by L. Jardon

    Having spent several years in animal rescue as a foster, etc., this is really a moot point! What is the alternative for the shelter dogs??? Even though it may not be the best idea to go from person to person, it certainly beats sitting in a cage amongst the countless animals hoping to have 5 minutes (if that) of human attention! People always say "I could never be a foster...I'd adopt them all"; and my response is think of the animals...what is the alternative for them?

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  • October 26, 2009 by Ms Harrod

    This is the craziest thing I've ever heard of. Who rents a dog ? Would you rent a person ? Ooops wrong question. This is a very selfish thing and I hope whoever thought of this "bright" idea realizes this isn't good for the dog.

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    • August 9, 2010 by Counselor Counselet

      Most dog loves people. They love to have someone walk them no matter who it is. That is my feelings. Think about it if you were a dog. Would you like to stay home alone all day while its master works or would you like to mingle with the human race and enjoy being pampered and walked all day. Dogs are not like cats, they want attention and being fussed over.

    • January 16, 2011 by Paul Meyer

      People DO RENT PEOPLE it's called a Personal Assistant and an intern. Being able to pay to increase a dogs happiness and life out of a cage for a few hours while also getting to have a new friend is a great idea. In New York City it's hard to have a pet because of living conditions and time. I know PLENTY of people that rent people here. Hahaha.

  • August 29, 2010 by amina

    i hav a dog named bell

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  • December 28, 2010 by Rhianen Newton

    I think renting I dog is so wrong in so many ways there living breathing creatures they have feelings to just imagine if u were rented for a period of time then on to another person you go it's a terrible thing when u get an animal your supposed to love and care for it they need a caring invironment

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• September 27, 2008 by Cecily

  I agree with BRANDYLYNN. This is a "non-issue". I have cats, but (for age among other reasons) no longer have dogs. When my neighbor travels she leaves her dog over here. (No I don't strictly "rent" him.) The dog enjoys it and I enjoy it. So?

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• October 7, 2008 by Michael Jefferis

  Renting pets is not all that new (heard of it 15 years ago). Some hotels (and not just high end ones) can provide you with a cat for the evening. Dogs have been rentable in New York for some time. My dog (golden retriever) would be thrilled to have new people from whom to sponge up affection, scratching, snacks, etc. Besides, when I work temporary, they send me out for the day and I am not treated as well as these rent-dogs are.

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  • April 26, 2010 by iyana

    what should we do

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• October 8, 2008 by jadeiris

  I have a friend in school that just lost her dog prior to her enrollment. She also has a full time job and is responsible enough to know that owning a dog right now would be neglectful. She simply doesn't have the time but I believe that she would benefit from renting a dog. The companionship would still be there. It would be a temporary fix until she graduates and gets another pup.

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• October 8, 2008 by h_squared

  As per the FAQ in the website, the dogs have a single owner, live in a home environment, and are NEVER kept in kennels. The dogs appear to all be rescues, and many of the dogs that they rent find permanent homes with the renters once they are in a position to own a dog full time. I don't think that's irresponsible at all. In fact, I think it's a lot more responsible for the dog AND a potential owner. For Jadeiris' friend, this would be an ideal situation. It gives her the chance to have the companionship she may crave, without committing to full time ownership of another dog until she has time to heal the wounds. Also, many people get dogs without being aware of their temperament. FlexPetz allows for a bond to grow between the right dog and the right owner. This makes more sense than the Disney "101 Dalmatians" scenario, when shelters were overrun with Dalmatians whose owners purchased the dogs then abandoned them because they weren't familiar with the fact that they are extremely high energy pets who need a lot of time and care. They saw the movie, thought the dogs were cute, bought one, and threw it away because they didn't do the research on the dog's temperament and breed. Those are the people who think that pets are disposable. FlexPetz does not appear to me to be just a "rent a dog and then throw it away" type company. I say do the research before condemning the process; I am always happy to keep an open mind, and will listen to any argument, as I am very sensitive about animal rights.

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  • October 4, 2009 by Richard Crouch

    It's always funny to me when people comment about an issue and twist the facts to create a perception that is quite different from reality. I would think that anyone renting a dog for a short period of time would be a dog lover. They don't just throw the dog away when they are done. All parties, including the dog, would most likely have a benefical experience. Sure, there are times when things don't work out as expected, but that's true with anything in life. I think that if done properly, dog rental is a great idea. Getting the right people and dog togather are truely important. My dog would love it.

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• November 1, 2008 by Suzanne G.

  Dogs are known to have feelings of attachment to their owners as well as to other animals. They thrive on consistency. It has to be very confusing to them to be constantly passed from one person to another. They are not commodities and should not be treated as such. If one would like to have an animal but not totally commit, it would be a blessing to help out one of the animal rescue groups to foster a dog until they find permanent homes for them. Sometimes two people can share the foster dog if they can't do it full time. Many times foster care is needed to save an animal from a kill shelter. That would be the more responsible thing to do.

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  • December 27, 2009 by Adriana Sophia Igou

    I have a dog that I rescued from the pound, and I love her and adore her so much that I get the chills just thinking that she could have been rented like many other dogs in the United States.My dog Molly is so attached to my family I can't imagine how miserable she would be while being shifted from family to family.

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• November 14, 2008 by Happynewyorker

  Is it really wrong to rent a pet? I have a young child at home that wants a pet dog. I would love to have a dog at home for one week just to see how she would react to the animal (we don't know many people that have dogs and/or cats). I want to see before getting a pet from the pound and then have to commit to it, when it may not be wanted at home. I don't see anything wrong with it. In this world we have so much, just to allow a child and family to see, I don't see what's wrong with that.

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  • October 19, 2009 by zaz zimmer

    Yes it would be a great thing to do. Much better than adopt a dog or cat from a shelter and after a month find out that it did not work. Before adoption they make you sign all the paperwork . Especially smaller privat shelters demand paperwork like if you are going to adopt a child or borrow a million from the bank, with references,home visit and all that stuff and are quite judmental when you bring the pet back . Not mention that they do not refund your money. Opposite they try to make you feel bad that your adoption did not work and ask for new contribution. Better if you work with big shelters. They usually have better veterinary care for their animals , more possibilities to place your pet in other family or/ and exchanged it for an animal who will better fit into your life style. They have a pet behaviorist who can also help.

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• December 24, 2008 by christopher allen corbit

  Well, I have a dog of my own and I love him to death. He's my best friend and I adopted him at an animal shelter. Just think how he felt as all those people looked at him and then just walked away while he was locked up just wondering why they won’t take him home. Just think how that dog feels being taken to all these homes being loved by all those people and wondering why they left. All I have left to say is if you’re looking for a dog - don’t go and rent one and put it through all that pain. If you want one that bad just go save one from an animal shelter near you. It will be a lot cheaper and this dog you'll get to keep. Plus, I bet you'll find a good friend like I did.

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  • December 12, 2009 by Leslie Pena

    i feel it to some people who work at the pound if the dogs have been there to long they kill them did you know they used to steam them to death!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG thats why we should get the president to shut down all pounds who cares if some people loose their jobs we are saving millions of dogs out there

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  • December 12, 2009 by Leslie Pena

    I feel that we should all work together to save rainforest and mans best friend. We could come u with more than a million ideas if you care about dogs as well as i do .Try to im not saying you have to but buy a dog from the pound ,or donate money to SAVE THE RAINFOREST. It's just that we could all work together to make a big difference . TRUST MEE if we work together we are inpossible to defeat.

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• December 25, 2008 by Dave P.

  Some animal shelters allow people to take dogs for walks or even take dogs home for the weekend. This gives the animals some exercise and socialization, which keeps them healthy and makes them more likely to be adopted. Check your local animal shelter before renting a pooch.

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  • December 30, 2008 by

    Good answer Dave! Our humane society is very small, last year they had their first fund raising dog walk in quite a few years. I have a dog (she is my daughter) and four cats, however, I opted to walk a shelter dog last year and again this year. Both dogs I walked were adopted within a short time, as I made sure I introduced "my dog" to everyone and explained they were shelter dogs looking for a good home. I adopted my "daughter" from the shelter.

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    • January 6, 2011 by Fred

      Don't rent pets. It's a scam.

• December 25, 2008 by

  Great idea!!! I think legislators (like in Boston) need to pass laws like being a stupid legislator is illegal (have them look into mirror). My dogs love the attention of everyone and I see no ill effects on the days following another person giving them attention and then going on their way. Dogs would love being taken out for the day and spoiled. With different people renting them, they will be taken more places than any other pet owned by only one person! Maybe I'll try renting myself out to be taken places...any women need to rent (borrow) a guy for the day? I'm cheaper than the dog renters too; no admin fees, no training course and no monthly fees either! Just feed me. ::: laughs:::

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  • October 19, 2009 by zaz zimmer

    I really do. I think people love to be around you.

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  • November 28, 2009 by Fiona

    Well, What's your Pedigree? You say no training needed? HA! You need to be trained I say. :) Seriously though, As far as Renting a Dog goes... Did we forget that dogs are PACK animals? They THRIVE on socialization and civilization! I remember in High School I had a great business walking dogs while the owners were at work or out of town. The people who rent the dogs, generally rent the same dog each time. What's the difference between Me showing up every few months to feed and walk the dog and this service? Well, I think the difference is with this service the pooch gets more social contact. Besides these are SOCIAL CREATURES! It's not like they are being forced to go for a walk... I actually called the service to find out if any of the animals were shy... the result? They do not rent any dog under 1 yr old (So no puppy rentals) and they do not rent any animal that shows signs of anxiety or fear with strangers. Hey! So I guess that means these dogs get the benefit of a large pack and the structure, love and care of many "owners." Sounds like they are getting their "cake" and get to eat it too! Oh and in case anyone is wondering... The services also requires the people "renting" the dogs follow strict guidelines regarding meals and rules. So it's not like a "weekend- Parent" situation where the dog can get on the furniture with person A but not Person B and Person C always has biscuits. Sorry Anonymous Guy For Rent... Looks like you might lose out on that Lobster Dinner after all.... :(

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  • November 28, 2009 by Fiona

    Please check page 18 for my comments on this... Thanks!

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  • January 21, 2010 by Stephanie Marshall

    How well are the people screend who rent these dogs? I have seen horses who have been very abused on rental trail rides. It sounds like a convenience for the person renting while putting the animal at risk.

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• December 26, 2008 by

  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.

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  • December 28, 2008 by

    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.

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• December 26, 2008 by

  Would you rent a kid for the evening?

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  • December 15, 2010 by Conrad779

    People rent kids all the time. Child actors are everywhere. If the dog is homeless, then yes, this would be great. if the pet belongs to an owner and has a home i can see how that is a little more difficult. just because you are the master of the dog doesn't mean that you should be the only friend of the dog! If your getting the dog back and proffit some money, then that is fine! As long as you get your dog back! I volunteer for a rescue group and this sounds like a great idea. "rent a dog for a walk" so guy or gals can socialize with the animal who is homeless, possible consider donating, fostering or even adopting the pet! how is that wrong from being locked up all day long???

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