Too busy for a full-time pet? You can soon rent a dog by the day

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Marlena Cervantes supplies dogs by the day or the weekend, and says her service, FlexPetz, is like a holiday time-share.

"Our members are responsible in that they realise full-time ownership is not an option," said Miss Cervantes, 32, a behavioural therapist who came up with the idea when working with animals and autistic children.

The service is currently available in Los Angeles and San Diego, but Miss Cervantes hopes to open in London by the end of the year.

Members pay an annual fee of £50, a monthly subscription of £25, and £20 per visit by "their" dog.

The fees include leads, bowls, beds and food which are supplied for every trip.

Miss Cervantes says her dogs ideally are shared by only two or three "owners", and live in a kennel

the rest of the time.

Student Shari Gonzalez, 22, who lives in a small flat, shares a black labrador called Jackpot which spends one day every weekend with her.

"I never even thought that was a possibility," she said. "I thought you either owned a dog or you didn't."

One of Jackpot's other "owners", Jenny Goddard, who is married with a six-year-old son, said the dog encourages the family to spend more time together outdoors.

"He is so friendly and playful that people are surprised he is a rental dog," she said.

Miss Cervantes has ten rental dogs including Afghan hounds, labradors and Boston terriers. "They get undivided attention from our members because it is the only time they have together," she said.