RENT-A-PET | PET GAZETTE | 25
SWIPE RIGHT
TO BORROW MY PET
Is the ‘gig-economy’ leading to a lack of commitment from would-be pet owners,
as well as posing a threat to pet safety? Or does it provide dog owners with an
alternative to expensive kennels and dog sitters? CASEY COOPER-FISKE investigates
I
t seems in 2018 there is
nothing that cannot be
obtained with the swipe of
a smartphone or click of a
mouse. The hustle and bustle
of London and other large cities has led to the
rise of the ‘gig-economy’ - app-driven services,
odd jobs, and deliveries on-demand - seeing
everything from food to cleaning to taxi
services available at fingertips of the public.
Whilst there is no doubt that almost everyone
living in the capital has taken advantage
of the ‘gig-economy’ in some way to make
their lives simpler and more enjoyable, the
practice is not without its controversy. Food
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apps such as Deliveroo have seen complaints
relating to missing and stolen food and late
deliveries, whilst taxi app Uber has seen more
serious complaints that are perhaps not best
discussed in this feature.
So when the 'gig-economy' entered the pet
world - with apps such as Borrow My Doggy
allowing those who have a busy lifestyle, live
in rented accommodation, or simply cannot
afford to own a pet to borrow someone else’s
- it was bound to ruffle some feathers. At a
time when people are increasingly seeking
short-term satisfaction, there is concern that
the concept of pet-borrowing may begin
to compete with the time-honoured act of
purchasing a pet for keeps, especially in
cities where pet-friendly lets are becoming
harder to find.
In the world of on-demand cabs and
food, we’ve seen concerns raised by those
in competition: they say the 'gig-economy'
drives customers elsewhere. Will prospective
pet owners completely abandon the idea if
they know they can easily rent a companion
for a desired amount of time, especially when
pet-lending apps are specifically targeting
busy pet owners who want to loan out their
pet instead of paying for a dog-sitter or
walker. The practice initially seems to make
sense; those who cannot afford or are not
October 2018