Controversial Platform Lets Dog Owners Rent Their Pets to Strangers by the Hour

A new Chinese platform is turning dog walking into a short-term rental service. Owners list their pets online, while strangers pay for temporary companionship without accepting the cost and responsibility of owning a dog.

The idea has found customers in major cities, but it has also opened a wider debate about safety, emotional stress and whether living animals should be treated like rentable products.