Seriously. If you don’t want a dog, don’t get a dog. That’s OK. And if your situation doesn’t allow you to have a dog full-time (small apartment, rules, etc), then you should wait until you are out of that situation.
Renting a dog? Here’s a few better ideas - you could play with hundreds of dogs for free by taking a walk to a local dog-friendly park. Or visit a shelter and see if they’d like a dog walked. Or offer to petsit a friend’s dog. Or become a foster parent. I think there are smarter ways to try on a dog for size. Feel free to come to my house and walk my two dogs! They’d love it.
I just don’t see the need in society for a dog rental service.
Since the Globe ran this article, several bloggers (one, two) have covered this, but I refuse to send people straight to the company website because the idea is dumb.
You know what this promotes, besides a sadly minimal commitment level? Dogs as accessories to be used as conversation pieces and pickup aids. Right? It’s like cruising around looking for a mate in your rented Ferrari. It’s not real, and you are only fooling yourself and a potential friend with your “fake” dog.
FLEXPETZ MEMBERSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES
U.S. Membership in FLEXPETZ is based on:
*Â A monthly Membership Fee of $49.95 which contributes towards providing full care for all the dogs at each FLEXPETZ location. There is an Annual Account Maintenance charge of $99.95.
*Â Â A Daily Doggy Time charge, payable for each day (or part of day) you spend with a FLEXPETZ dog. Because of the popularity of weekends, the Week End Day charge (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) is approximately 35% higher than Week Days. Weekend $39.95, Week Day $24.95, plus applicable sales tax.
FLEXPETZ membership entitles you to a free Convenience Package that includes a dog bed, food/water bowls and a custom leash. For each night that you plan to keep a FLEXPETZ dog, we will provide you with pre-packed food.
ONE TIME FEE OF $150.00 is payable at registration to cover a mandatory one hour introduction session with a FLEXPETZ trainer. This session covers an introduction to our dogs, dog handling and training (to maintain consistency) and answers to any general questions you and your family may have (we encourage the whole family to attend).
FLEXPETZ SHUTTLE SERVICES
Most FLEXPETZ locations have a shuttle service that can deliver and collect a FLEXPETZ dog to your home or office. Fees vary by location but are generally $17.50 per single trip ($35.00 for a pickup and collection).
SAFETY
All FLEXPETZ dogs are fitted with GPS-tracking collars to ensure we can locate the dog in the event that it decides to go walkies on its own! The device is only activated when you call our customer service number who can then give you “up to the second” information on the dog’s location. Your Membership card contains full contact information for use in the event of any emergency.
General Terms and Conditions
Length of Membership is 12 months. The Account Maintenance and the Trainer Session fees are payable at time of registration. The monthly membership fee is payable monthly in advance: total due at registration is $299.90. The Doggy Time charges are paid monthly in arrears on or about the 10th day of each month.
Member agrees to use at least two Doggy Times per month (day or part of day) and agrees to a charge of a minimum of two days per month at the prevailing standard Week Day rate regardless of whether the Member has actually had Doggy Time with a FLEXPETZ dog.
Member agrees to pay an Inconvenience Fee of $75.00 per day, in addition to any Doggy Time Charges, if the FLEXPETZ dog is not returned on the last day of the reservation period. Please note that we understand that plans can change and a Member may not be able to get to the FLEXPETZ facility prior to it closing at 6 PM. If the Member returns the FLEXPETZ dog to the FLEXPETZ facility between opening time (7 AM) and the start of the next reservation period (8 AM), then the Member will not be charged the Inconvenience Fee.
Again, are these people serious?Â
6 responses so far ↓
1 Rhea // Dec 18, 2007 at 10:53 am
It seems, on the one hand, great for dogs who might not have activity and affection otherwise. But on the other hand, how do we know someone won’t abuse these poor little pups? Overall, I don’t like the idea.
2 Brian // Dec 19, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Rhea - Good point. There are always going to be dogs that are left out, and maybe this is a way for them to get exercise. But I wonder how many people are using this service on a regular basis…
3 jo // Dec 19, 2007 at 6:10 pm
A question:
How would we feel if this was ‘Flex-Kids’?
Flame me if you will, but these are living, breathing, sentient beings we’re talking about, *not* inanimate objects. Dogs have cognitive abilities similar to that of a young toddler… so how about we rent out our kids for a monthly fee? How do you think the kids are going to feel about that? Heck, my kids never even liked having a babysitter (who I paid!) when they were kids, and my sitters were all family members!!m
I see plenty of dogs already who have severe behavioral issues resulting from inconsistency and poor husbandry. So, how consistent are the monthly renters going to be? How will they be able to discern differences in each pet’s health if they don’t have them living with them all the time?
This is just bad. What happens to these ‘flex pets’ when they have behavioral issues from being schlepped around to different people all the time? Or, when they develop a severe health issue that was treatable until it goes unnoticed because the renters only see the dog two days per month, and now the dog needs major veterinary care?
I know I don’t even need to say it, but we all know what will happen to them. The same thing that happens now when irresponsible pet owners decide not to take responsibility for their pets… a rise in euthanasia rates. GRRRRRRRR.
4 Murphy Dogg // Dec 20, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Well, I am a dog and there’s no way in hell I’d enjoy being anyone’s Flex-Anything. Jo is right, I am a living breathing fuzzy being, and I need love and affection and consistency just like the next guy.
Where will these dogs be kept if no one “rents” them? In kennels? I’ve been in shelters and it might as well be doggie jail. It sucks. I was lucky enough to be adopted and have a real family that I love very much.
And what kind of person would “rent” a dog anyway? Who the f*** could pick up a dog, hang out with it for a while, then ship it back to its little jail cell without missing a beat? People who can ignore sad doggie eyes and whimpers are cold-hearted pricks if you ask me.
Murphy Dogg
5 Ruby // Dec 31, 2007 at 9:41 am
Call Carter Luke at the MSPCA (617-522-5055) and John Bowen at Animal Rescue League of Boston (617-226-5680, jbowen@arlboston.org) and tell them to do their jobs–which they claim is to PREVENT, not simply react to, animal exploitation and abuse. They need to conduct public education, beyond their own constituencies, about the cruel reality of renting dogs BEFORE FlexPetz takes root in Boston this spring. Why?
FlexPetz indeed is a dumb idea that is bad for dogs, bad for humans too. Unfortunately, there are enough dumb people renting its DVDs, I mean dogs, for this callous business to flourish. That’s because FlexPetz has launched a very aggressive, very slick PR campaign, and none of our animal welfare organizations are actively pushing back to challenge the spin.
So at first blush, people say wow, what a cool idea. Even The Boston Globe was taken in–shame on the reporter and her editor for their naivete or agenda, which perpetuated the hype. Most folks with half a brain or at least a heart quickly change their minds when the reality of the rent-a-dog business is explained.
Public education is essential. Without a market, FlexPetz can’t succeed and will stop turning dogs who otherwise might have been adopted into rental properties (do you honestly think they’re “rescuing” timid, old, homely or otherwise unadoptable dogs???)…
passing them from person to person like a rental car (and we all know how rental cars are treated)…
and conditioning dogs to distrust humans, by constantly breaking those bonds. That spells potential disaster for rental dogs once FlexPetz is done exploiting them. Where will they land if their relationship with a future owner doesn’t succeed? You guessed it: In a shelter, but this time older, more confused and less adoptable than before.
“Rehome”? “Rescue”? That’s a whole lotta dog poop.
Rent cars, not dogs!
6 Bill Buckner // Mar 18, 2008 at 1:51 pm
The dogs that are never rented, like the Yorkshire Terrier, Komondor and Chinese Crested , will be hooked up to treadmills that produce electricity for the the city of Boston. Think of it as a “windmill alternative.”
One of Flexpet’s biggest customers happens to be Eliot Spitzer, who ironically fought to keep Flexpet out of NY will working as the attorney general.
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