Dogsharing Service Mobark Launched for Lonely Beijingers
Don’t want to get a puppy because you aren’t home enough, don’t believe you’ve got enough time to take on the responsibility of a fluff-ball, or don’t know where you’ll be moving onto from Beijing and not sure if your new best friend will be able to travel with you?
You (and me) are in luck, because a new platform has come in to take away our troubles and fill that canine-shaped hole in our heart.
Mobark, the latest addition to China's rapidly-growing sharing economy, will be offering fluffy dogs of all ages up for sharing in conjunction with some of Beijing’s overflowing pet shelters.
“Expats in Beijing are keen to adopt puppies and kittens, but once the animal matures and they find it is time to move on, they’re also quick to leave behind their ‘best friends’ once they discover how troublesome and expensive it is to relocate their pet with them,” Li Tingting, founder of one such Beijing-based pet shelter tells us.
Hopes are that this new app will help bring some relief to pet shelters like Tingting’s, and that the animals will get a temporary home, even if just for a couple of hours. These dogs will only require these few hours of affection and love, and then you can send them back to the shelters and pretend they never even existed. Easy.
The service will only be available to humans right now
To sign up to Mobark, first you must download the app, which will prompt you to send a photograph of yourself holding up your passport, as well as photographic evidence of some dog toys and dog food.
Next, you’ll be expected to put down a deposit depending on the category of dog you’ll be looking to rent. A RMB 188 deposit will get you older dogs, while you’ll be expected to pay a deposit of RMB 488 for middle-aged dogs, and a whopping RMB 888 for pedigree puppies (the puppy pictured at top is part of the RMB 888 range).
As of yet, there is no button to retract your deposit, but that’s fine, because once your identity is confirmed and your account is set up you’ll have free puppy rental forever. Welcome to the barking-mad world of China's sharing economy!
Editor’s note: Seriously, don’t get pets in Beijing if you’re not able to look after them or willing to pay for their relocation to your next destination, and remember to adopt, not shop.
Photos: cutestpaw.com, jwshoeproject.com, pinterest
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