Dog Sharing

There's ride sharing and bike sharing, so why not dog sharing? A new service called City Dog Share lets you swap dogs with complete strangers, or "test out" a dog to see if it's the right pet for you:

[City Dog Share] allows dog-shoppers to try a pet on for size without the burden of commitment, by giving them a chance to spend quality time with other peoples' pooches. The Facebook-based service also fills schnauzer-shaped gaps in the lives of humans whose apartments or schedules prohibit full-time furry friends.

And supporters also believe City Dog Share can help shelters and rescue groups find homes for abandoned animals by giving prospective puppy parents the comfort of a free backup care plan if they fear the responsibility that comes with any animal.

In a nation where social media aficionados share homes, cars and futures with total strangers encountered online, why shouldn't they swap dogs that way too?

Maria L. La Ganga of The Los Angeles Times has the story: Link (Photo: Gary Friedman/LA Times)