Pets, and pet dogs especially, are known to have major benefits on humans’ mood and general well-being, but not everyone is willing to accept the responsibilities of caring for an animal. Now, people who don’t want their own pets can just rent them by the hour and enjoy their company for as long as they want, without having to bother about the animals’ needs.
The pet sharing platform ‘Wangfu’ launched its dog rental service via social media last March and is already operating in major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. People seem to love how simple it is to use for both dog owners and those looking to rent the animals.
All dog owners have to do is register on the platform and upload their dog’s information and pictures, while those looking to walk a dog for an hour or two need to select the desired dog and request a walk. According to Chinese news sources, the fee ranges from 10 to 60 yuan ($1.5 to $9).
There are a few rules that Wangfu users must abide by. The pickup and return of the dog are agreed upon directly between the owner and the user. Walks are limited to areas familiar to the dog, and the platform provides real-time location tracking. If the animal starts behaving strangely in any way, the renter has to notify the owner immediately.
Both parties must undergo real-name verification, and Wangfu takes out pet insurance for the animals on the platform, in case anything goes wrong.
The service has been getting a lot of attention in China lately, but so far, feedback has been split. While some believe that renting out other people’s pets increases the chance of adopting a dog, others point out that the “repeated changes in human companions, environments, and daily routines can cause unnecessary emotional stress to dogs”. Plus, the ethics of renting out beloved pets for financial reasons have also been called into question.
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