It is also important to note that Flexpetz requires its members to take a dog at least two visits per month. (In fact, if they are unable to for any given month, they are obligated to pay a minimum charge of the cost for two weekdays.) If a pet is returned late, a fee of $75 is added to their tab. When you add up all of these various costs, renting a dog is not as inexpensive as you might expect.

But while the costs aren’t so low, a recent article in Business 2.0 Magazine provides a good comparison of renting a pet through Flexpetz and owning a dog straight out and shows that no matter which way you go, the privilege of enjoying a dog has its costs.

Dog-sharing service members pay an estimated $1,500 in fees the first year to participate. The cost of owning a dog for the first year, including food, vet bills and other incidentals, totals approximately $3,000 (not including the cost of purchasing the pet).

A New Trend?

While it seems like one company currently has the cornerstone on renting pets, the idea has gained so much attention that it is only a matter of time before other entrepreneurs jump in. One pet owner in Washington, DC, has adapted the Flexpetz business plan to a smaller niche, offering to rent his dog to eligible bachelors for a small fee. In addition to participants having the privilege of walking the dog, he also throws in some advice for meeting women. And some hotels actually have adopted dogs and offer its guests the option of walking them, which seems to be taking off big.

Of course, it is not only in the United States that pet sharing has found its niche. In Japan, the concept of pet rentals has been very popular for the past few years. They have 134 companies that rent pets in that country (up from just 17 in 2000). So dog sharing seems to be a growing international trend.