Do you badly want a dog but can’t have one due to housing restrictions or a lack of time? We have some exciting news: a new app called Bark’N’Borrow is changing the way dog-less families relate to the world and are offering a unique matchmaking service designed to match dogs and people temporarily.
What is Bark’N’Borrow?
Imagine you live in a tiny inner city apartment and you’ve always wanted a dog. You can’t have one though, because you work long hours and don’t have time to care for a pet. Fortunately, the next time you have a free weekend, you can use Bark’N’Borrow to gain immediate access to a community of dog lovers with and without pups. The app offers an Uber-style matchmaking structure that pairs dog-less people with pups that need some extra TLC – either because their pet parents work long hours, are out of town, suffering from an injury or illness, or simply just want to share their dog’s love.
The app is easy to use and asks that users start by creating a profile. The profile includes a photo, some routine personal information, and areas to fill in your reasoning for wanting to spend time with a dog. Like a dating service, the app asks people to input the qualities that they’re looking for in dogs: do you want a hound you can run with? A couch potato? A dog that’s good with kids?
Once you’ve input all needed information, the app will immediately match you with dogs that possess the qualities you’re looking for. If you like them, you contact the pet parents and suggest a time and location for an in-person meeting. The service is free to use and the only time payment is required is if someone takes advantage of dog-sitting services through the app.
For pet parents who may be interested in using Bark’N’Borrow but are concerned for their beloved pets’ safety, not to worry: the app thoroughly vets candidates. They verify users by linking to Facebook profiles and other public information. Each account is reviewed completely before the user is allowed to interact with the Bark’N’Borrow community.
The Mission of Bark’N’Borrow
Spending time with pets has been shown to present considerable health benefits, including reduced blood pressure, less stress, fewer visits to the hospital, and an increased lifespan. Apps like Bark’N’Borrow, which took its basic structure from a British and Irish service called BorrowMyDoggy, aim to pair dog-less pet lovers with friendly pups because they know it’s good for people, and understand that many people simply can’t own a pet right now.
The service has been popular so far, amassing almost 2000 Facebook fans in its three years of operation. Although dog borrowing services aren’t exactly mainstream just yet, people are definitely intrigued.
Photo by www.facebook.com/barknborrow
