I was reading the LA Times the other day and came across this article.

West Hollywood, California (Monday, November 10, 2008) – WeHo’s City Council, ever the protector of pets, banned the burgeoning business of pet rentals at its last council meeting.

A firm called FlexPetz began renting out dogs to travelers in New York recently and has expanded into the Los Angeles area.

WeHo Mayor Jeff Prang called the business “horrific” and wished to bring attention to it by making the ban before a location is set up in this travel-oriented city.

The urgency went unquestioned, since the FlexPetz web site says it “is working on opening a number of new national and international locations including Seattle, Miami, Santa Monica, Long Beach, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix, and West Palm Beach.

Its one thing to bring a pet to a hospital like we have at our hospitals to visit the sick and the elderly. These pets are owned by people! I do hope and pray that these dogs that are “rented” out are loved. I know that Sammy and Lucy would NOT like to be tossed around to different families. They would be so confused and anxious. Even when there is tiny bit of unbalance in our home, Lucy is especially sensitive to that.

The WeHo article also stated,

The staff report said that the National Federation of Humane Societies has issued a position statement against pet rental franchises in the interest of eliminating practices that devalue the worth and sanctity of animals.

Steve Putnam, Executive Director of the National Federation of Humane Societies and the organization’s Corporate Policies Committee oppose the practices of FlexPetz.com and comparable organizations simply because “pets are not commodities” and these commercial ventures “diminish their worth.”

Moreover, the National Federation of Humane Societies states that “Pets seek [human] companionship and provide solace. All animals need secure, stable routine and renting pets by the hour or day diminishes this need.”

The Los Angeles Southeast Area Animal Control Authority has also condemned this abuse of the human-animal bond and is currently researching the larger pet rental industry.