Rent A Pet, Exploit A Dog
Unhealthy For Dogs? I can only imagine how schizo those dogs must be.
After a $150 initiation fee, and $49.95 in monthly membership fees, and $99.95 in annual maintenance fees—you can rent a dog for $39.95 a day on weekends and $24.95 per day on weekdays. What a steal! So when can I rent a kid? Earlier this year a San Diego-based company started renting man’s best friend for pet lovers who might want to take a dog on a long walk and maybe play a game of fetch, but don’t have the time to own a pet full time. The service caters to people who like dogs but just don’t have the time to take care of them. The customers are happy, but the ASPCA thinks it’s not healthy for the dogs.
Gale Buchwald, senior vice president of the ASPCA Pet Adoption Center and Mobile Clinic Program, said it violates the human-animal bond. She said dogs that don’t form a strong bond with one family often end up becoming aloof and self destructive. Here’s an alternative: Volunteer to walk dogs every weekend for the local no-kill shelter. I doubt they charge for the privelage of playing with the puppies.
