Animals on public transportation

[Katana_Geldar]

How does that go on a budget airline?

On the subject of service animals, recently there was a case where a family was refused at a motel where the father, who was blind, brought his seeing eye dog. Despite the fact that they had called ahead to the manager and it's illegal to refuse them service.

[DottyG]

Works the same as any other airline.  For instance - Southwest Airlines.

[nutraxfornerves]

I took an 11-hour nonstop flight from Paris to Madagascar. I had the aisle seat. The middle seat was occupied by a woman who walked on the plane with a small dog on a leash. Rover spent the flight on a blanket at her feet. How he held his bladder for all that time, I'll never know.

Every time I reached down to get something from my bag on the floor, Rover growled at me. The real fun was during meal service when he suddenly escaped down the aisle. The flight attendant was blocked by her cart, so I went chasing after him. I didn't have a common language with Rover's owner so couldn't really say anything to her about him. The flight attendants just shrugged as if an uncaged dog on a plane was no big deal.

At the end of the flight, Madame and Rover tripped happily down the aisle and out of the plane, neither looking much the worse for wear.

I just looked at the airline's web site. They still accept dogs on a leash in the cabin, but now required that the dog be muzzled. They charge for dogs in carriers in the cabin, but a dog on a leash is transported for free.

[sunnygirl]

Some airlines allow pets in the cabin. It's safer and less traumatic than putting them in the hold. If I needed to fly with a pet that's what I'd do - though certainly they should be caged/controlled.

[Roses]

I'm not a fan of pets on public transportation, especially in planes; but that's because I'm allergic.   For a service animal, I'd be more forgiving of the watery eyes, sneezing and congestion...

[veryfluffy]

I took a duck on the train a few years ago (she was a rescue I was rehoming). She was in a large pet carrier. The train was crowded, so neither of us had a seat.

[Katana_Geldar]

Fluffy, if I'd been on the train is have given you a seat.

[mich3554]

I regularly fly with my cat.  I have to pay for him to be on board and he is in a carrier at my feet.  Despite having to pay for him, his carrier is considered one of my 2 pieces of carry on luggage, which means I have to check a bag as well.

Shouldn't he be checked in the hold as live cargo?

Only if they are over 20 lbs. 

[gen xer]

If an animal is under control then it wouldn't bother me in the slightest if it is on public transportation....but when I say controlled I really mean controlled.  Quiet, still and calm.  And on the floor.  I am not going to stand so an animal can occupy a seat.  Sorry but there is a pecking order here.

[wendelenn]

So I know that in Boston (and I am guessing in Massachusetts in general) that dogs are aloud on public transportation during non commuting hours. Is it rude for that animal to take up a seat?

I guess dogs are allowed, but hopefully they are not "aloud". Noisy animals would be very disturbing.

[blarg314]

I took a duck on the train a few years ago (she was a rescue I was rehoming). She was in a large pet carrier. The train was crowded, so neither of us had a seat.

Interesting - where I live, small animals are allowed on *if* they are in a pet carrier, but live poultry is specifically forbidden.

[sunnygirl]

I see pigeons travelling on the tube sometimes (and once a mouse) -- as they are travelling alone I'm not sure whether to report them for being unleashed/uncaged, or for fare-dodging. 

[Shopaholic]

I took a duck on the train a few years ago (she was a rescue I was rehoming). She was in a large pet carrier. The train was crowded, so neither of us had a seat.

Interesting - where I live, small animals are allowed on *if* they are in a pet carrier, but live poultry is specifically forbidden.

You obviously don't live in Guatemala, home of the famous "chicken busses"!

Where I live, dogs must be on a leash and wearing a muzzle. I don't mind them on public transportation, and I've never seen someone so entitled as to let his dog take up a seat.
Honestly, though, if it's between the dog blocking access to a seat and roaming around in the aisle (as much as the leash allows), I think it's better if he blocks a seat.

[lady_disdain]

I took a duck on the train a few years ago (she was a rescue I was rehoming). She was in a large pet carrier. The train was crowded, so neither of us had a seat.

Interesting - where I live, small animals are allowed on *if* they are in a pet carrier, but live poultry is specifically forbidden.

You obviously don't live in Guatemala, home of the famous "chicken busses"!

The chickens didn't bother me but the goats seemed to think my hair was a delicacy.

[Winterlight]

If a dog occupies a seat on public transportation, it must occupy a window seat, and it must stick its head out of the window.  This rule is suspended for airplanes.

On second thought, those may be dogs' rules.

Yeah, it doesn't work so well when the subway is underground. I had to explain that to mine- they sulked.