Controversial dog rental company, Flexpetz, is closing the doors in the US and London. New laws in the UK and here in the US, prohibiting the rental of companion animals, are forcing them to find homes for the dogs, and close up shop.

From Newsweek…

When FlexPetz launched last year, fans heralded the company as the ZipCar for animal lovers. But nearly 18 months after its launch, it’s unclear how successful the company has been. In an email exchange, FlexPetz founder Cervantes did not specifically respond to NEWSWEEK’s questions about how many customers have signed up or how many dogs the company owns.

But whatever growth the company may have had appears to be imperiled by a recent backlash. In April the British Parliament put forth a motion to prohibit pet rentals. Labor MP Drew David, who proposed the measure, said that the pet-rental business “encourages irresponsible attitudes to dog ownership.” In June, after hearing that FlexPetz planned to open a location in Boston, the Boston City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting dog rentals in the city. And on July 29, the Massachusetts Senate passed a bill that would prevent companies like FlexPetz from setting up shop anywhere in the state. According to legislative aide Matthew Carleo, the bill “will be placed on Governor Deval Patrick’s desk this afternoon.” Representative Paul Frost, a dog-owner who filed the bill, says the business model promotes the idea of “disposable pets.” As a Republican in a blue state, Frost rarely seeks such measures restricting commercial expansion, but said this case was exceptional. “I am not against business growth or the entrepreneurial spirit,” he says. “But there is an ethical line you have to keep in mind.”

And, in today’s Wall Street Journal, an article about the whole business of dog rentals and dog sharing. It talks about Flexpetz as well as people who have joint custody of dogs.

Penny De Los Santos wanted a dog but traveled too much to care for one full time. So, she opted for the next best thing: a time-share pet.

For two years, Ms. Santos shared a mellow female Husky mix with her neighbors, who took the dog for about one week a month. They split veterinary bills and the cost of vaccinations and heartworm pills. The neighbors called the dog Nika. Ms. Santos preferred the name Monica.

“It’s kind of like Monica had two lives with two families,” says the 39-year-old photographer in Austin, Texas.

About a year ago, Ms. Santos and her neighbors agreed that Ms. Santos was finally in a position to take full responsibility for Monica. The neighbors retain visiting rights.

[...]

People who have participated in dog shares say it’s important to set rules from the beginning. Betsy Bunn, 69, and her husband, Franklin, share ownership of Jimmi, a 2-year-old puggle, with their neighbors two houses down in Auburndale, Mass. They agreed from the start to split all dog-related costs. Jimmi’s two families try to give him a regular schedule. Each morning, he takes a walk with Ms. Bunn and spends his days with either of the two families, depending on who is free to take care of him. He sleeps at the neighbors’ house every night and eats the same chow in both homes.

The families have agreed to not give him table scraps, in order to discourage begging at the table. And both of the owners’ phone numbers are on Jimmi’s tag, in case of emergency. “Jimmi has two houses,” says Ms. Bunn, a retired hospice social worker. “He’s more fortunate than most of us.”

The perks of dog-sharing for humans are also clear. People who may want to share or borrow a dog are mostly motivated by the short-term companionship it provides, says Herb Nieburg, a psychologist in Stonington, Conn., who has written a book on pet loss. Some people may even think they are doing something altruistic by devoting their time to an animal — even if it’s temporary. “It makes you feel good about the world around you,” he says. “It may be a short bond, but it’s a real bond.”

Read the rest from the Wall Street Journal.

Update…bringing this up from the comments. From the Flexpetz corporate office…

Just a quick correction – Flexpetz has NOT closed down, and fully intends to proceed with opening its planned 120 U.S. locations. What has happened is that the company has decided not to take on any more dogs while it studies the laws passed by Boston City Council and potential the state of MA

See the comments section below for the rest of their comment.

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