If you have adopted a dog from a shelter or taken on a puppy from a breeder or even a friend, you will know how important it is to them that you understand your commitment to having a dog has to be 100% and that hopefully it will be a long lasting and mutual love affair! Well for one American company, FlexPetz, a dog is no longer for life, but just for the weekend!

I am probably not alone in thinking this is a strange and potentially cruel idea. There is nothing wrong with dog sharing when two  people or even families take on the responsibility of caring for a pet, but cannot due to other daily commitments devote all the time needed to do so. Many people have dog walkers or sitters if they work or travel, but the idea of renting a pet seems to contradict what dog lovers understand : the vital importance of the relationship between pet and parent!

FlexPetz has, according to a recent article in the Evening Standard, proved popular enough in the U.S for them to launch the service in the UK. They currently have five dogs in London and have already signed up 100 'part-time owners. FlexPet (what a name) has plans to buy more dogs and expand to other British cities. Marlena Cervantes who launched the service and is a behavioural thereapist, said "Our members are responsible in that they realise full-time ownership is not an option. We screen all our members first to make sure they are suitable". (Whatever that means) Users pay an annual fee in the UK of £50 plus a monthly subscription which gets them four days with a dog. The fees also cover leads bowls, beds and food which are supplied for every trip. Well at least the dogs get to sleep in the same bed if not in the same home!

I read that most of the dogs are retired show animals that have all received full obedience training, and are fitted with tracking collars -and chips I hope- in case they get lost. But are they retired and happy to be passed around like a sports trophee?

The scheme has been criticised by animal charities who maintain that such 'timeshare' schemes are cruel to the dogs involved. Ryan Neile of pet charity Blue Cross said: "when dogs are passed around, they may become confused, distressed and upredictable" and Caroline Kisko of the British Kennel Club said that "The concept of renting out dogs as a 'timeshare' equivalent is detrimental to the dog".

Let me know your thoughts on this one, but let's hope that this rent a pet exercise will lead some of the scheme's members to put their time and pet caring efforts into adopting from a shelter where so many dogs are needing just one home!