Company rents pets to animal lovers

No time for a pet? Then rent one. A California company has begun offering FlexPetz, a new service for dog-lovers who just don't have the time to care for a pet, or the space.

The "shared dog" service is available in Los Angeles and San Diego. Its founder hopes to open new locations in San Francisco next month, New York in September and London by the end of the year.



Hanging out with man's best friend has a price. The annual fee runs about 100 dollars a year. FlexPetz customers then make a monthly payment of about 50 dollars. A per-visit charge runs about 40 dollars.

The FlexPetz founder says only dogs with social temperaments are picked for the programme. The current ten-dog crew includes Afghan hounds, Labrador retrievers and Boston terriers.