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By Crystal Aguilar
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Technology is aiding dog owners through apps like Sniffspot, which lets pet parents who don’t have their own backyard rent other people’s property to give their pets space to run.

“I think any time we can make owning a pet more accessible for a larger amount of people is beneficial not only for pets in the area who need homes but also for people who maybe don’t have backyards or feel that they don’t have quite enough space for a dog to run around. But if they can use a neighbor’s yard for a pet, that is going to help make it easier for them to own one, and maybe open up a door to a new pet owner that maybe didn’t exist before,” said Joe Casados, Arizona Humane Society public relations and social media manager.

Jo Burrough, owner of Wag World, a backyard space available to rent via Sniffspot, welcomed Debbie Popiel and her two dogs, Jack, a 7-year-old retriever mix, and Dazey, a 10-year-old terrier mix, into her yard where the dogs had space to run. Popiel said having two dogs of different sizes and energy levels can make it difficult to visit a traditional dog park due to the typical setup of separate sections for the calm and hyperactive ones.

Dazey explored the backyard while Burrough hung out inside her home. “I’m here, I’m online in my middle office creating and doing my stuff. I might as well have dogs within my backyard because I don’t have any. Why not share it with somebody who wants to bring their dog some joy?” Burrough said.

While this Sniffspot is the backyard of a home and costs $12 per dog, per hour, there are other properties available through the app and website, such as fields that can be rented out for a few more dollars for pet owners that want more space.

Safety is another reason pet owners use the Sniffspot app.

“Even though he’s super friendly on leash, he can be a little reactive and that’s why I use Sniffspot instead of going to a regular dog park,” Popiel said in regards to Jack, her retriever mix.

Burrough emphasizes safety and keeps the gate locked while her yard is in use so there is no interference with other dogs. Some dog owners want to avoid taking their pets to public dog parks to avoid potential dog fights, according to a post on the Sniffpost website from CEO David Adams.

“As you can see, they have lots of energy and not enough room for them to really kind of rip-roar around and play catch and all of that type of stuff. So while I have a little outdoor space, it’s not enough for them, I think, to really be outside and sniff and have fun,” said Popiel, who has frequented Wag World eight times, according to Sniffspot tracking.

“Being able to go outside, run around is a really big enrichment activity for pets, especially dogs,” Casados said. “Making pet ownership more accessible … is going to kind of open up those doors, give us more people that are able to come in and adopt a pet, so the more creative and innovative we can get with apps like Sniffspot, the more pet owners we have and the fewer pets are in shelters.”