RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — An app is allowing people to book private spaces for their dogs and letting people rent their backyards for a little extra cash.
SniffSpot is a company that originated in Seattle. It connects dog owners to people who have private outdoor spaces where their dogs can safely run around off their leash for an hourly fee.
David Adams, the founder and CEO of the company, said he and his wife came up with the idea a few years ago.
“The modern world was not built for dogs. Dogs have evolved and they were brought [into] this world where they were bred and they can run free in the field and in the forest,” he said. “Now, they’re on leashes and on couches and that’s causing issues like obesity, reactivity and anxiety.”
The app has grown in popularity in more than 2,000 cities around the world.
SniffSpot is also getting more interest in Hanover, Chester and Mechanicsville.
Alyssa Crozier has been renting out her backyard in Richmond for about a year now.
“My dog, Xena, she came from a rescue. She has reactivity, so a regular dog park just isn’t an option for her,” she said. “There’s so many rescue dogs that are like that and had a bad experience at a dog park that having their private space is just so much better.”
Some people are willing to opt for a private space over a public park because some dogs can’t thrive in crowded settings. Crozier said another reason is that some dog owners who live in townhomes or apartments may not have access to green spaces like this.
“I waited to get a dog until I owned a house because I was living in apartments. So, to know I could’ve gotten a dog sooner– if I’d known I’d have access to a yard– would’ve been huge for me,” she said.
“It’s created this really cool community of people that want to make the world a more dog-friendly place,” Adams said.
Crozier said she’s welcomed more than 100 dogs to her home and wants even more to come by.
She’s using the money she made from SniffSpot to improve the backyard for other guests.
“We want to just welcome more guests and expand the knowledge of SniffSpot around Richmond so that more people know that it’s an option for them,” she said. “I wouldn’t say I’m, like, one of the top earners, but I made $1,300 since starting.”
