New York State Looking to End Pet Leasing
Pet leasing is a real thing in NYS. If you miss your monthly payment for Fido, he'll be repossessed.
We never knew about this, did you? Yes, you can get a designer breed pet and make monthly payments. The ASPCA tells News 10 that pet sellers allow a consumer to make monthly payments and require consumers to buy out their leases at the end to keep their pet. Consumers can lose their pets if they miss payments or are unable to buy out their contracts.
NY lawmakers are proposing a law to ban the practice of leasing pets.
“Pet leasing is a predatory practice that preys on people who cannot always afford a companion animal,” Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-District 61) said. “This legislation will put an end to the deceptive practice of pet leasing in New York.” [News 10]
The bill would ban pet dealers from offering a lease option for a pet and allow those who acquired their pet through a lease to get reimbursed.
I can't even believe people would participate in this type payment plan. The pet will bond with the person taking care of it, and the possibility of it being repoed is appalling. If it is repossessed, what happens to the pet then? Will it be leased out as a car or piece of furniture? Will someone 'rent to own' an adult pet? And, what if you lease an unhealthy sick pet? What if something happens to it?
Rhode Island and California have passed laws prohibiting pet leasing, and we hope NYS will too.