|
Welcome to the YorkieTalk.com Forums Community - the community for Yorkshire Terriers. You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You will be able to chat with over 35,000 YorkieTalk members, read over 2,000,000 posted discussions, and view more than 15,000 Yorkie photos in the YorkieTalk Photo Gallery after you register. We would love to have you as a member! Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please click here to contact us. |
|
| LinkBack | Thread Tools |
07-29-2007, 03:33 PM | #1 |
YT 6000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6,238
| [News] Company Rents Pets to Animal Lovers SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - From the state that popularized purse puppies, drive-thru dog washes and gourmet dog food delivery comes the latest in canine convenience—a company that contracts out dogs by the day to urbanites without the time or space to care for a pet full-time. Marlena Cervantes, founder of FlexPetz, bristles when people refer to her five-month-old business as a rent-a-pet service. She prefers the term "shared pet ownership," explaining the concept is more akin to a vacation time share or a gym membership than a trip to the video store. "Our members are responsible in that they realize full-time ownership is not an option for them and would be unfair to the dog," said Cervantes, 32, a behavioral therapist who got the idea while working with pets and autistic children. "It prevents dogs from being adopted and then returned to the shelter by people who realize it wasn't a good fit." FlexPetz is currently available in Los Angeles and San Diego, where Cervantes lives. She plans to open new locations in San Francisco next month, New York in September and London by the end of the year. She's also hoping to franchise the FlexPetz concept so the dogs will have housing options other than kennels when not in use. For San Francisco, she's hired a caretaker who plans to keep the dogs at her house when they aren't on loan to members. For an annual fee of $99.95, a monthly payment of $49.95 and a per- visit charge of $39.95 a day, (discounted to $24.95 Sunday through Thursday), animal lovers who enroll in FlexPetz get to spend time with a four-legged companion from Cervantes' 10-dog crew of Afghan hounds, Labrador retrievers and Boston terriers. The membership costs cover the expense of training the dogs, boarding them at a cage-free kennel, home or office delivery, collar-sized global positioning devices, veterinary bills and liability insurance. It also pays for the "care kits"—comprised of leashes, bowls, beds and pre-measured food—that accompany each dog on its visits. Charter member Shari Gonzalez said she was thinking about getting a dog when a dog trainer she consulted suggested part-time ownership. At first, she had reservations. Gonzalez, 22, never doubted there was room for a dog in her heart. The issue was her life, which included a small, two-bedroom apartment and a full-time schedule of college classes in San Diego. "I was thinking, 'How is a dog going to bounce from house to house and be OK with that,'" she said. "I didn't want a dog that would come into my place and pee." Her misgivings were allayed after she spoke with Cervantes, who explained that only dogs with social temperaments were picked for the program and that each would ideally be shared by no more than two or three owner-members. Since signing up, Gonzalez said a black Lab named Jackpot has become a treasured part of her social network. They spend an average of one day each weekend together. He sleeps at her apartment and she takes him on hikes, to the beach and to parks frequented by other dog owners. The money spent on her membership has been well worth it, she said. "I never even thought that was a possibility," Gonzalez said. "I thought you either owned a dog or you didn't." Although she has never seen the doggy day care center where Jackpot spends his off-days, Gonzalez recently met another of his part-time companions, graphic designer Jenny Goddard, 33. Goddard, who is married with a 6-year-old son, said having a dog a weekend or two a month has been perfect for her busy family and encourages them to spend more time together outdoors. "It's funny," she said. "He is so friendly and immediately playful with us, people are surprised he is a rental dog." The idea of commitment-free pets is not entirely new, although no one in the United States has tried it with as much drive as Cervantes. Most private animal shelters, for instance, encourage volunteers to become temporary foster families to animals awaiting adoption. For 15 years, the Aspen Animal Shelter in Colorado has gone a step further with a Rent-a-Pet program that allows residents and tourists in the resort town to take dogs out for a few hours or overnight for free. "It benefits the homeless animals, keeps them socialized and exercised and in the end they end up getting adopted," said owner Seth Sachson. "The people benefit, too. When a tourist walks around town with a dog, they feel like a local." Melissa Bain, a veterinarian with the Companion Animal Behavior Program at the University of California, Davis, said she had concerns about, but no hard-and-fast objections to a service like FlexPetz. On the positive side, it might give people an easy way to test the ownership waters and keep a few dogs from being euthanized, Bain said. Possible downsides would be irresponsible members who treat the dogs like a lifestyle accessory instead of a living thing. "It depends on the people and it depends on the animal. Some dogs may be fine and some may become stressed because they are moving from home to home," Bain said. "Perhaps they had a good experience with a good part-time owner and then they get shipped back. What kind of message does that send to kids? That dogs are disposable." Cervantes said the hour-long sessions Flexpetz members are required to spend with their dog and a trainer before their first outing ensures the dogs are going into caring, competent homes. Her members, who range in age from 5 to 60-plus, include single women in search of security and a conversation starter, Navy personnel who love dogs but are at sea for much of the year, and seniors who live in apartments where dogs are not allowed. "Usually, our dogs are lavished with attention, and it's undivided attention from our members because it is the only time they have together," she said. "Some people take a dog home and realize, 'Hey, I can adopt a dog.'" http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1 |
Welcome Guest! | |
07-29-2007, 11:24 PM | #2 |
Donating YT 7000 Club Member | I think that is a good idea. It probably brings joy to a lot of people. But I have to wonder if it confuses the dogs. Or stresses them out...
__________________ Megan "I have my dreams, I have made plans." - The Pirate Queen All Gave Some; Some Gave All |
07-29-2007, 11:33 PM | #3 |
Piper & Sebastian Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: florida
Posts: 14,495
| No way. How can you rent a dog. Your suppose to love and care for your best friend. Not rent it like a tuxedo that you can return when you're done with it. I think it's a horrible idea, and probably stressful and confusing to the dog.
__________________ Susan, Piper ,Harley & Suiki |
07-30-2007, 04:18 AM | #4 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,890
| Um, I don't think I like it, but I understand why they are doing it...but I hope it doesn't spread like hotcakes across the US...I certainly am interested in where the dogs are kept if they aren't being "rented"...I mean, are they spending their "off days" in a cage or what?
__________________ Alycia Autumn Gizmo Maddie |
07-30-2007, 07:53 AM | #5 |
Rosi & Poli's Mom Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Washington State
Posts: 5,428
| I strongly agree !
__________________ ROSI & POLI Love my Babies |
07-30-2007, 08:22 AM | #6 |
I Love My Lil' Punkin's Donating Member | The concept of it is good - but, I don't see how the dogs ever get to really *bond* with people. And I can only imagine how confused they must get, bouncing back and forth from house to house - person to person. Poor babies. I personally think that this could be very stressful to an animal - I don't know....dogs are not OBJECTS - I don't think they should be "RENTED"
__________________ Mommy Loves Stedman and Tatum! They have us wrapped around their little paws! |
07-30-2007, 08:35 AM | #7 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: knoxville
Posts: 1,537
| I think it's a great idea. You think the dogs would have been better off at a shelter? What if nobody bought them from the shelter...then what? I agree with all of u about this being confusing for the dogs. It has its pros and cons. I hope they do a temparment test to make sure the dog is ok with change. I know Rosie wouldn't mind meeting new people all the time I hope they do good background checks to make sure the renters won't harm the dog; however, I don't think anyone would pay that much just to harm a dog. Also, I hope the company treat the dogs well. Then again, like i said before, this life might be better than being at a shelter. |
07-30-2007, 08:43 AM | #8 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member | I read the article in my local newspaper. That's just nutts!!!! I mean, it says that it has been brought by the same people that created things like drive-thru grooming and gourmet dog food delivery, which it's ok for the convenience of the dog owner, but this???? this is using them like a thing!. |
07-30-2007, 08:45 AM | #9 |
Jojo's & Junior's too! Donating YT Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Watsonville, CA
Posts: 1,379
| It seems like it could be a good thing. And then I just can't help to think how the Pet's feels about going back and forth to several places. I just want the Pet's to feel loved and happy.
__________________ Josie, Jojo, Junior & Veronica **...No Home is Complete Without a Yorkie...or Two...better make that 3!..** |
07-30-2007, 10:07 AM | #10 |
Our Blessings R Many Donating Member | Not in favor of this at all. It came to my mind, is this the answer to some individuals and maybe will be to some other people when the mandatory spay/neuter law goes into effect through this state here in Calif. It has been made law in our area already in Calif. and which already is going into being a law in many places through-out the United States. Later on there won't be the precious ones available for us as a loving pet owner so then what, will these God's precious creation for us all to love be a rental $$$$$$$$$$$$ making gain for some, plus the state. Of course the politicians have to get their increase in wages from someplace so why not approve these things. I would believe that they had to take a license out to do this and also that through their insurance company they would need to be insured big time. But all that put aside, what the real issue here is the dogs being from here to there and not having the individual bonding they are so deserving of in their daily life in a home where they are loved and wanted all the time. Pets are like us they need the individual bonding to someone that has them forever and not something such as this. I totally don't like this rental idea for many reasons. Most people in general that love pets and want a pet live in dwellings that allows them, I know this is something we always made sure of before moving into a place. This in my opinion is not a good thing. Wonder what is next to be here in California? All this being said it is merely one little ole ladies opinion, mine. Baby Blessing and DollieDae say include us in on this Mom. Patti |
07-30-2007, 02:21 PM | #11 |
Chloe's Mommy! Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cornwall, ON
Posts: 1,968
| I'm appalled!!! Those poor babies. I can't imagine what they must be feeling!
__________________ Sara & Chloe |
Bookmarks |
|
|
Thread Tools | |
| |
|
|
SHOP NOW: Amazon :: eBay :: Buy.com :: Newegg :: PetStore :: Petco :: PetSmart