A few days ago I came across a magazine article about renting dogs. The article focused on one specific company but through browsing online I have found a few more companies. They allow a family, or a person to rent a dog for an allotted amount of time. This seems convienent they say for the busy person who normally wouldn't be able to take care of a full-time animal. The standard rate for flexpetz is, "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. "
They say it is a shared ownership.While it seems like this company takes good care of their dogs and has certain restrictions and hoops to jump through before you can rent one, I still seem to have a problem with this. I can't help but feel bad for these dogs. Dogs are loyal companions, but when tossed around how do they become loyal to anyone? I feel like this has to cause physciological problems for the dogs. I just don't think it is right. If your lifestyle doesn't allow a dog that can be a permanent member of your family I just don't think you should have one at all, whether it is for an afternoon or a few weeks.
I have copied in the web address for the Flexpetz website if you want to check it out:
http://www.flexpetz.com/about.html
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
THE PRACTICE BLOG
The goal of being alive is to figure out what it means to be alive, and there is a myriad of ways to deduce that answer; I just happen to prefer examining the question through the context of Pamela Anderson and The Real World and Frosted Flakes. It's certainly no less plausible than trying to understand Kant or Wittgenstein. And while half of my brain worries that writing about Saved by the Bell and Memento will immediately seem as outdated as a 1983 book about Fantasy Island and Gerry Cooney, my mind's better half knows that temporality is part of the truth.
--Chuck Klosterman
--Chuck Klosterman
Followers
Blog Archive
-
▼
2009
(117)
-
▼
February
(30)
- True Slumdog Millionaires?
- Should Weight Be Regulated By Law?
- American Politics in The Dark Knight
- Rent a Dog?
- Identity and Plastic Surgery
- Change
- Steroids in Baseball
- what is the "right" age?
- A Simple Thank You
- The Wii Fit is a interactive exercise program crea...
- Meatpacking in America
- Death
- A place for friends?
- Looking hot but feeling cold
- Webkinz World
- Logic
- Everybody's A Little Racist Sometime
- Are you as smart as the president?
- NFL.com
- Dress and Oppression
- Black & White
- World of Warcraft
- Reflection
- Evolution of Race Relations From Another Angle
- I am thankful for my job
- Science = Truth?
- Allstate: In good hands?
- The King of Pop
- The Emo Scene
- Rock of Love
-
▼
February
(30)
5 comments:
Going along with "renting" a dog being tough for the dog, I find myself scratching my head at the customers of this business. I see it almost as laziness; if you have a child you can't just "return" it once the smelly diapers and screaming at night are too much. The same for a dog. Take responsibility through the good times and the bad. I feel this is a reflection on our culture; if something is too hard quit. We are making it possible for people to refuse ownership. While this kind of program is better than the twisted people who leave their dog in a dumpster; it's barely a step up.
This seems so odd to me, having a pet should be fun, but renting one would be sad and ridiculous.
It is a great business plan if they can actually find customers willing to pay them.
I do agree it's very sad that someone would want to rent themselves a dog, but the beauty of capitalism is that people can start such businesses and take advantage of stupid, lazy people.
I feel so bad for the dogs! They get attached to their owners, I can't imagine making them have a new owner ever day or few days or week. My dogs don't like to even be watched by anyone else if I go out of town, this would make for a lonely life for the dogs.
It seems that people who would be interested in something like this see the animals as merely an object. If you aren't capable of having your own, you shouldn't rent one. Having a pet involves some sort of emotional attachment and having the dogs constantly shift owners kind of defeats the purpose of having a pet in the first place.
Post a Comment