Some pet stores in Michigan are offering buyers the option to pay for their pet with a lease - but two Michigan representatives are hoping to ban the practice, arguing it’s a scheme where purchasers make payments on animals without having full ownership rights.

The leases are billed as a way to finance pricey pooches, with buyers paying a certain amount per month instead of the full cost up front.

But if the buyer misses payments, their pet could get repossessed because they don’t own the animal - the leasing company does. And when accounting for interest, the leases can result in a person paying thousands of dollars over the initial asking price before owning their pet.

Reports of pet leasing in Michigan first started popping up in 2017, said Pam Sordyl, founder of Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan.

https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2019/12/pet-leasing-would-be-banned-in-michigan-under-house-legislation.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=mlive_sf