A Brigham Young University student has found a way to capitalize on the affection many people feel for puppies: a puppy rental service.
Jenna Millers puppy rental business has taken off since August, with more than 100 rentals to date.
Miller charges $15 for one hour, or $25 for two hours, to let people enjoy the young canines without the responsibilities of a full-time pet parent.
Miller said she gets the puppies from people who are unable to care for them. Although the puppies aren't spayed or neutered, Miller says she keeps their vaccinations up to date.
At any given time, Miller keeps at least four puppies at her aunt's house and hand-delivers them to renters.
"They sign a waiver basically contracting to treat the puppy well and it's like a liability agreement," Miller said.
Carl Arky from the Utah Humane Society said Miller's business isn't a good idea and potentially jeopardizes the health of the animals.
"They need consistency, they need stability, they need training and to pass them around as though they're some sort of an accessory - we don't think is a good idea," Arky said. "There's no commitment when you're renting an animal."
Miller says she promotes the safety and placement of the animals, and one of the goals with her business is finding permanent homes for the puppies.
"Our goal is to try to adopt them out by the time they're 12 weeks and we've had 100 percent success with that," Miller said.
Miller has adopted seven puppies so far, with an average adoption price of $200. Arky said people who are interested in adopting a pet can do so at most shelters for less than $200, and those pets will be spayed or neutered as well as microchipped.
