Change.org petition against sex robot shop in Houston

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Will a major component of the HBO show and 1970s movie "Westworld" become a reality in Houston -- specifically, a robot brothel?

The owner of KinkySdollS, a company based in Toronto, told the Washington Examiner that he will expand his operation to a Houston location in September, with the goal of having ten U.S. locations by the year 2020. The Houston location is projected to include on-site, short-term private rentals.

The company owner says the location is not really a brothel, but rather a "try before you buy" arrangement.

Elijah Rising, a Houston-based nonprofit group with the goal of "ending sex trafficking through prayer, awareness, intervention, and restoration," has started a petition on Change.org to "Keep Robot Brothels Out Of Houston." The petition, which will be presented to City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner's Office, has more than 4,900 signatures as of Saturday with a goal of 5,000.