Pet Rental...WOW!

[windswept]

Some of you have probably already seen this. I just saw this on line and it really surprised me.

http://www.flexpetz.com/fdolanding.html

Dogs for rent. I can't imagine this being anything good.

[prairiefire]

Holy cow!
I can't imagine that being healthy for any dog--getting shipped from place to place several times a month. And the prices they're charging are outrageous.
If you're desperate for doggy companionship--go volunteer at your local shelter!
Honestly, can anyone think of a single redeeming factor here?

[Loke]

Now that is about the dumbest thing that I've ever seen. What's next, Rent -a-Kid?

[3Britts]

Truely incredible.
With all of the fees involved, you would end up paying $2508 for the first year alone.
And they advertise that it is for the person who cannot afford to have a dog full time.
At those costs, I can buy the dog and trial it for a year.
It has got to be a joke.

[prairiefire]

$2508? You'd be getting a steal!

Your annual costs include:

-$99 annual admin fee
-a minimum of (4) $45 daily "usage" fees/mo=$2160
-a monthly membership fee of $99.95/mo=$1199.40
-and a one-time handler training fee of $150.00...

...for a whopping $3608.40. Provided you only require 4 days of doggy companionship a month, of course. :roll:

While you're trialing that new dog of yours, 3Britts--don't forget to book a few first-class airline tickets. Geez!

Check this out:
"FLEXPETZ was present at one of the pre-Oscar luxury suites on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, a great opportunity to present the FLEXPETZ concept to the Hollywood glitterati! Amazingly well received, don't be surprised if you find yourself sharing a FLEXPETZ dog with a movie or television star! Click here to see photos." http://www.flexpetz.com/events/oscars2007.html

[wems2371]

I saw something similar to this on a tv piece (like Dateline) a few months back. In the tv bit, it was a lot of city folk borrowing a pet for one day a week or one day a month. Those interviewed either wanted to have pet companionship for that day or wanted to try out a dog to see if pet ownership was something they could handle. Those seeking companionship chose the same dog every time they paid for a visit--once they found one they liked anyway. I could see a redeeming factor if someone borrowed a dog and determined that dog ownership wasn't for them............unlike others who commit to a dog and then dump it at the local shelter.

I can also see those that rent the same pet weekend after weekend for companionship. I don't have kids, but sure enjoy borrowing our best friends 13 year old boy to go fishing/camping/etc with my husband and myself. (I don't pay rent though, and if I worked it right, should probably be getting paid to take him ) I can't see how a dog divided between several homes couldn't be distressing to the dog and it kind of seems like dirty money to me. I highly agree that the renters time and money could be better spent at a shelter or rescue. Denise

[prairiefire]

There are plenty of rescues that would be willing to work through those sorts of situations--whether by allowing families to visit and help exercise the dogs available for adoption, working through a "foster to adopt" program until they found the "right" dog, or by allowing families to take a dog home for a trial period to ensure it was the right fit.
While I can see where a family might be hesitant about the commitment--bouncing rescues from home to home like this can't be healthy for the dog.
Structured the way this is, it sounds like FlexPetz is thinking of their wallets first--and the dogs last.

[wems2371]

Probably comes down to the "more money than brains" factor. Denise

[prairiefire]

Probably so...

[3Britts]

$2508? You'd be getting a steal!

Your annual costs include:

-$99 annual admin fee
-a minimum of (4) $45 daily "usage" fees/mo=$2160
-a monthly membership fee of $99.95/mo=$1199.40
-and a one-time handler training fee of $150.00...

...for a whopping $3608.40. Provided you only require 4 days of doggy companionship a month, of course. :roll:

While you're trialing that new dog of yours, 3Britts--don't forget to book a few first-class airline tickets. Geez!

Check this out:
"FLEXPETZ was present at one of the pre-Oscar luxury suites on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, a great opportunity to present the FLEXPETZ concept to the Hollywood glitterati! Amazingly well received, don't be surprised if you find yourself sharing a FLEXPETZ dog with a movie or television star! Click here to see photos." http://www.flexpetz.com/events/oscars2007.html

You are right. I read that as a one time fee. Add a thousand dollars. :roll:

[ESetterLove]

That concept is so crazy that I can't even think of a clever comment.
Is this a rescue org that turned down too many willing and experienced dog owners?
Is it it a byproduct of animal planet? Our current society in general?
Must have been the "green thing" on the site that got me fired up.

That said, I don't think I will rent a dog from people who don't understand canine behavior anytime soon.
Last I checked, some of us pay good money to send our dogs away for training.
Who would have known that someone would find a way to make money to screw up a dog.

If that site is legit, how much do you all think I should charge my dogs trainer this month?

[3Britts]

I have heard of this being done with cars in big citties. Maybe someone got a brain fart and said, "I bet that this would work with dogs, too."