Old dog, new trick: Uber rents puppies

Amid a bitter battle for business, Ottawa’s taxi industry truly is going to the dogs.

The ride-sharing service Uber is offering to deliver a basket of puppy dogs to any interested businesses.

The company says it’s a bid to raise awareness for National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day on Thursday.

According to the company, businesses in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton can have the puppies dropped off for a 15-minute play date at a cost of $30 between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Money collected will be donated to animal rescue shelters.

The company used the same stunt last January before the Puppy Bowl, an annual TV program aired on Animal Planet the same day as the Super Bowl.

“I know that Puppy Bowl in the U.S. was very successful — there was a lot of demand and they connected many puppies with new owners,” Uber spokeswoman Susie Heath said via email.

They’ve also tried it with kittens in other markets, such as the U.S. and Australia.

The pups will be taken care of by at least one Uber employee, and volunteers from various shelters.

There will be 12 dogs in Ottawa making the rounds. They’re being provided by local rescues Sit With Me and Ottawa Dog Rescue. All of the dogs will be available for adoption.

Interested parties can book the puppies’ time through the Uber app by clicking on a puppies icon.

Uber has been making waves since coming to Ottawa, rising the ire of traditional taxi companies and of municipal officials.

The city’s crackdown on drivers of the ride-sharing app has resulted in more than $16,000 in fines. Twenty-four drivers have pleaded guilty to 42 violations under the city’s taxi bylaw. The drivers were charged after bylaw officers performed undercover stings.