Love on Lease: Renting Man's Best Friend

I found this article this morning and I was horrified. This is just sick and wrong. Animals deserve to be loved, not used.
Here are some quotes from this article highlighted in blue:
"Looking for a golden retriever, schnauzer or poodle to keep you company, but afraid of having to walk your dog in the rain or feed it while out of town? You're not alone, and now there may be a solution … for a price. A small, but growing industry now allows want-to-be pet owners across the country to experience the joys of owning a pet, without the long-term, day-to-day hassles." Isn't' that kind of the point? When you commit to a pet, you're committing for better or for worse. If you don't have time to care for a dog, get a cat. Cats are pretty independent and self-maintaining. Mine requires about 15 minutes a week of maintenance. (filling the water and food and emptying the litter box.) She doesn't have to go outside and she's perfectly content to curl up on my lap while I read a book. Look how cute she is!

"Consumers have long been able to partially own condominiums through timeshares.... Perhaps it was only a matter of time before companies like FlexPetz provided the same concept for pets."
You don't OWN a pet. You ADOPT a pet. Pets are not property, they're members of the family.

"It's a little unfair for people to not have the opportunity to own a pet, and this is a nice way of doing it."
Fair? Color me incredulous. Owning a pet is not a right. It's a privilege that is accompanied by responsibility. Do Americans not believe in responsibility anymore?
"FlexPetz caters to consumers who live in urban areas and travel frequently. Members may enjoy the company of a dog, but don't have the space or time to take care of one full-time."
What's the difference here? If you bond with a pet is it fair to leave all the time and leave your pet alone? So it's better to bond with the pet on the weekend when it's convenient to you? And then when it's not it's back to the kennel? That's just plain animal cruelty. If you're not willing to commit your time and love to your pet, then you don't deserve one and that's the bottom line.
You can visit http://abcnews.go.com/Business/IndustryInfo/Story?id=3807294&page=1 to read the full article.