Newsweek ran a story about a company called FlexPetz that rents pets out to people who either don't have the time for one of their own, or simply don't want the responsibility (aka furniture destruction, vomiting, vet bills... etc.) that go along with pets. In theory, this sounds great. It's like pet sitting, but instead of getting paid, you pay for the privilege.
- $99.95 per month for membership
- $45 per "doggie ownership day" (with a minimum of 4 days per month, so whether you rent one or not you still have to pay an extra $180)
- $150 in-home orientation training
- $25 shuttle fee (so that you can have the little "companion" brought to your door, provided you live within a 10 mile radius of their pet center.... it's an extra $2 per mile outside of said radius).
- PLUS you get billed for all of these things for the first month upon joining.
- These people are making BANK.
Until, that is, you think about the tole it takes on animals like dogs, cats or... dare I say? Rabbits. I mean really, there are somethings like goldfish, or even goats who could do well with a service like this. Dogs and cats, however, have been domesticated to such a degree that they depend upon humans to survive and therefore are essentially programmed to bond with/form an emotional attachment to people. When they get passed around homes to stay for a few hours or weeks, they develop neither the attachment to people or the routines and familiar environments necessary for well adjusted pets. Even Monty took a few months to warm up to living with me, but now he's always following me around.
I'm about this much _____________ pissed off about this.
That's alot.
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