SUN CITY, ARIZONA (KYMA/KECY, CBS) – Dog parks are great places to hang out, but an increasing number of people are avoiding them these days due to worries about violent dogs or their puppy getting sick.
What then should a dog owner do? Consider taking advantage of someone else’s backyard like Sun City’s Melody McManus does.
Each week, McManus takes her dog Ali to a north Phoenix property where the dog can run around and socialize without having to deal with other animals or people.
“Its a safe place for her to just have fun and not have to worry about any conflict with any other dog and she can just run to heart’s content,” McManus said.
McManus is just one of several homeowners in the Valley who found out about Sniffspot, a dog-friendly version of Airbnb.
This is how it operates: An owner of a dog can browse through several backyards, or indoor play places, that are offered for hourly rental by going online or using the Sniffspot app.
Generally speaking, rental costs range from $10 to $30, depending on the property and the amenities offered. You can bet that as the weather heats up, people love to hang around in pools.
Sniffspot’s creator, David Adams, claims that it provides dogs with a quiet area to play while earning extra money for homeowners.
With great pride, Julia Eyerly rents out her yard three or six times a week. For those visitors who are unable to swim, she even leaves snacks and a canine life jacket. She only asks that dog owners pick up after their companion.
“I’m not ready for another dog, but I miss spending time with dogs, so I thought, ‘Sniffspot.'” I’m sure other dogs could need this, so this is fantastic. Any dog owner should do this, in my opinion,” Eyerly said.
