Pet leasing

Pet leasing is the practice of leasing a pet, usually a dog, to a customer on a contract basis.^[1] The practice is controversial, because some customers believed they were taking out loans to buy a pet when, in fact, they were only leasing an animal that could be repossessed by the lender in the event that payments were not kept up.^[2][3][4][5]

The process of leasing a pet typically starts in a retail pet store, but the loan is made by a third-party contractor. The revenue model for pet leasing is the same as car leasing.^[6][7] The borrower enters a contract, typically for two years, and agrees to monthly payments. The lender typically requires proof of income, which may be as low as $1000 a month.

The state governments of New York,^[8] California, Nevada, Washington, Indiana, Virginia^[9] and New Jersey have banned pet leasing.^[10] And a similar ban on pet leasing has passed the Rhode Island state house of representatives.^[11][12] In Connecticut, State Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano has introduced legislation that would similarly ban pet leasing in his state.^[13] Dog leasing is illegal in Massachusetts.^[14][15]

According to several news sources, some lessees of pets believed they were buying their pets and were surprised to discover that they were only on loan.^[16][17][18]

The American Kennel Club "supports a ban on predatory pet leasing schemes that victimize potential owners, undermine a lifetime commitment to a pet, and do not confer the rights and responsibilities associated with legal ownership of a pet."^[19] Pet leasing has also been decried by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which has called for a state-by-state ban.^[20]