ALBAWABA - A Chinese app platform has made waves online as it offers dog owners the means to rent their dogs to animal enthusiasts.
The digital app requires users to register their name, photo, and the photo of their dog, along with their information. Those looking to rent a dog can browse through the app to look for their choice of a pet companion for an hour or two, for anywhere from $1.5 to $9.
The target audience for this service are those who love dogs but cannot own one due to various circumstances, this way, supporters of the app say, these animal lovers get to enjoy dogs without the responsibility of ownership.
The platform enforces strict identity checks for both parties as well as requiring the dogs to be insured and have a GPS locator on at all times - along with forbidding taking the dog to unfamiliar places where it might get stressed.
While some see it as positive, animal rights activists have decried the service - citing that it is unnatural for a dog to be separated from his owners; something that causes it stress and anxiety. They say that dogs are not a commodity to be rented for money but close human companions that should not be objectified in such a manner.
