The Rise Of Rent-A-Pooch
THOSE loving eyes, that unerring loyalty, that disgusting mess it does in the kitchen after eating last night’s curry leftovers – there is indeed something special about sharing your life with a dog (in a purely platonic way, of course). (Pic: Beau Bo D’Or)
However, for many of us go-getters, there just aren’t the hours in the day to feed, walk and groom. And that’s just ourselves, never mind the dog.
But now, a new craze is sweeping the certified home of crazes, California. Flexpetz is a new company which allows clients to rent a dog by the hour, which gives the part-time owner the chance to enjoy all the benefits of canine companionship without the hassle.
Members are charged an annual fee of £50, a monthly payment of £25 plus a per visit charge of £20 at weekends or £12 for weekdays. Dogs available include Afghan hounds, Labrador Retrievers and Boston Terriers.
Founder of the company, Marlena Cervantes, says: “Our members are responsible in that they realise full-time ownership is not an option for them and would be unfair to the dog. It prevents dogs from being adopted and then returned to the shelter by people who realise it isn’t a good fit.”
One wouldn’t be surprised if children became the next rentable commodity on the west Coast – “Too busy to be a full-time Parent? Well, for $50 an hour, you can experience the joy of being little Tommy’s Mommy or Daddy, without the hassle of the tantrums, the attention-deficit disorder or the eventual high-school massacre.”
Posted: 31st, July 2007 | In: Money Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink
