for $50 bucks a month, you too could have a love pup. [or not]

Fangs bared over ‘rent-a-dog’: Fido-for-hire service facing legislative ban
A company may be barking up the wrong state with its plan to open a dog-rental business in Boston. Legislation has been filed to ban such businesses in Massachusetts.

Marlena Cervantes, 30, of Big Sky, Mont., is the owner of FlexPetz, which she described as “a unique concept for dog lovers who are unable to own a pet, but miss spending time with a dog.”
She said she founded FlexPetz last year and plans to expand internationally this year.

It all began in her native San Diego, where she worked as a behavior specialist with autistic children who did not interact with others until they met her dog.
“Parents were stunned to see their children, who never initiated social contact, initiate play with my dog,” Ms. Cervantes said.

Many of the parents asked that her dog come for visits.
“That’s how I came up with the idea of dog rentals,” Ms. Cervantes said.

Last March she started a pilot program in San Diego, with only word-of-mouth advertising. By June, she had a waiting list of potential clients in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Most interest was from professionals living in metropolitan areas.

“They had the money but not the time to own a pet full time,” Ms. Cervantes said.
There are no brick-and-mortar FlexPetz offices; instead, the operation is run out of existing dog day-care centers.
Clients pay a $299 startup fee, including the first month’s rental in advance, and $49.95 per month, plus an additional fee each time they take out a dog. The clients must make a minimum one-year commitment.

“In New York, they want toy breeds. In California, they want larger animals. We visit shelters and seek out dogs with an appropriate temperament. Many are owner surrenders. We screen for happy, friendly dogs that are very social,” Ms. Cervantes said.
Before a dog is rented, FlexPetz performs a home visit and screens the client, who must sign a PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) form.

She has operations in San Diego, New York and Los Angeles, with waiting lists in Washington, D.C., London and in Boston, where she said more than potential clients have signed up.
“We’ll probably be in Boston by midsummer,” she said.

Maybe not.
State Rep. Paul K. Frost, R-Auburn, and state Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr., D-Worcester, filed legislation Feb. 21 to ban pet rentals in Massachusetts. Also signing were Sen. Robert A. Antonioni, D-Leominster; Rep. Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich; and Reps. John P. Fresolo, D-Worcester, Stephen R. Canessa, D-New Bedford; Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera, D-Springfield; Thomas P. Kennedy, D-Brockton; Denis E. Guyer, D-Dalton; Kay S. Khan, D-Newton; Denise Provost, D-Somerville; Jennifer M. Callahan, D-Sutton; and William N. Brownsberger, D-Belmont.

“The legislation is in the House Committee on Rules. It prohibits the business of renting dogs and cats. I have not heard of a legitimate business like this. The MSPCA and dog officers in other towns oppose this business,” Mr. Frost said. Guide dogs and working dogs are exempted. Mr. Frost said he is a dog lover and owner of a chocolate Labrador retriever named Reeses and a golden retriever named Snickers.

“I know what kind of bond there is with a dog. You don’t rent out members of your family,” he said.

I mean really, who RENTS a DOG?
I hope it goes through, this shit is just mean. Dogs can't survive in ever-changing environments. It's just not right.