Party Puppies for Hire

Who wouldn't want a group of cute puppies at their next party? Apparently renting dogs for soirees has become a growing business in the last few years. The companies behind this new trend have reported bringing the furry entertainers to birthdays, office events, and even bachelorette parties. But is hiring dogs for parties sending the wrong message?

One such company in Los Angeles, Calif., which has been selling dogs for decades (already a red flag for the welfare of these animals), started offering puppy parties in the 1990s. Business has picked up recently and they expect to do 800 parties this year. The company has around 70 dogs and puppies at any given time, which are rented at $200 an hour for up to ten puppies.

Most of their business is in children's parties, where the puppies and kids sit in a playpen after being taught proper petting technique. I'm glad they have workers supervising and advising on handling, but the scale of this business makes me nervous that the dogs' best interest is not the first priority.

In a different set-up, Provo, Utah's Puppies for Rent has the ultimate goal of getting customers to adopt puppies. Jenna Miller founded the company three years ago after missing her dog while studying at Bringham Young University. Now with three locations near college campuses, Jenna takes unwanted pups (from rescue organizations and owner surrenders), puts them in foster homes, and then rents them out to students by the hour. Afterwards, renters can apply for permanent adoption. Most puppies have gone to forever homes within two months. This model seems better since the interaction is one-on-one and encourages long term adoption.

I'm a bit conflicted on the whole puppy party idea. It can certainly be a way to socialize young pets, while teaching kids how to to safely interact with dogs, but I worry that turning this into a business model can lead to overworked and overwhelmed puppies. Allowing people to rent dogs can also support the idea that caring for a pet isn't a long term commitment.

This concept would be cool if it could be adapted for animal shelters and rescue organizations. Instead of renting a playpen of puppies, parents could have someone from the local shelter come with a dog or two in exchange for a donation. It would be a great opportunity to not only teach kids about the proper way to approach dogs, but to also educate on homeless pets and canine behavior.

What do you think about puppies for hire?