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October 11, 2008 5:40:44 AM CDT

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Rent-a Dog Biz Lets You Be Master for a Day

Posted Jul 30, 07 5:45 AM CDT in US,  Business,  Arts & Living 

(Newser) – A California entrepreneur has taken the commitment out of dog ownership for all those lusting-for-a-lab types who have room in their hearts for a pooch, but not in their lives. Flex Petz customers can contract out one the company's 10 dogs by the day, choosing from Labrador retrievers, Afghan hounds or Boston terriers.

One mother of a young son picks up a dog for a weekend or two a month; like other time-shares, members pay annual, monthly and per-visit charges. "Members realize full-time ownership is not an option for them and would be unfair to the dog," says the company founder. The service is expanding from San Diego and LA to San Francisco, New York and London.

Source Associated Press

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Shari Gonzalez poses with Loki, a dog which she rents from Flex Petz, Thursday, July 26, 2007, in San Diego. Flex Petz rents dogs by the day to time-pressed and space-challenged people and is preparing...   (Associated Press)
Flex Petz members Shari Gonzalez, left, and Alexis Rodriguez, right, pose with Flex Petz founder Marlena Cervantes, center, and their rented dogs Loki, left, and Jackpot, right, Thursday, July 26, 2007,...   (Associated Press)
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