STOUGHTON, Mass. — The pandemic turned many households into new pet owners. An app called SniffSpot has been helping pet parents who don’t have quite enough space to rent locations so their dogs can run free. The app connects property owners with pet owners and blocks of time can be booked to use the space.
Pam Withee and her sister run Pups ‘N Me dog walking on the South Shore and often have a hard time finding ample space for the dogs. During the pandemic they started using SniffSpot, where anyone with pets can connect with property owners who have decent running space. “This app for us is a life changer, really. I’ve been looking for a place to take dogs for a long time and it is hard to find,” said Withee.
Bobby Johnson started renting out his back yard in Stoughton through the app when the pandemic started. 15 dollars for the first dog — every dog after that in the same group gets in for half price. “I see a lot of people that live in the city, don’t really have a yard with a brand new dog and they are trying to train their dog so this is perfect for a nice quiet space to run around in,” said Johnson.
One criteria is having a safe area for your pet to run around and that means a fenced in yard with a locked gate. “They expect that no one is using the yard when someone has it rented out or no other dogs or people are within that space,” said Johnson.
According to the app’s website SniffSpot provides liability coverage to all Sniffspot hosts at no additional charge. ”They do have their own separate insurance that would cover for if the dog escapes the yard or if the dog bites someone,” said Johnson.
These dog walkers say their clients are the real winner. “For these guys they have a lot of energy that has to get out,” said Withee.
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