Paws on board - opinions sought over pets on transport

A dog owner has said that being able to travel on public transport with her pet would mean better accessibility and peace of mind.

The National Transport Authority has opened a public consultation on introducing a uniform approach to travelling with pets on bus, rail and Luas services.

It has received almost 1,500 submissions since it launched last month.

Deborah Joa, who lives in Dublin, said her family relies on public transport as they do not have a car and that in the past they have had to hire a car if they need to bring their dog Peanut anywhere not in walking distance, but have no issues taking him long or short distances on the train.

"Knowing that we could rely on public transportation to take our pet with us wherever we're going and have an end-to-end journey, it would give us peace of mind and better accessibility," she said.

"We enjoy being a no-car family for environmental and cost reasons. I understand that there are competing needs on public transport, but being able to use public transportation fully with our pet would alleviate us of that extra burden and make life easier."

Ms Joa recently purchased a pram for Peanut in the hope that he may be allowed on the bus in it.

"If Dublin city wants to keep traffic down and keep the city walkable and for people use public transport on weekends and in their personal time, they need to understand that there’s a cultural shift in terms of dogs being part of the family."

Ms Joa added that she has family members living in New York, where pets are allowed travel on the subway once they are in a bag or dog carrier.

"We’ve seen there how humans can be creative with this but ultimately pet owners need to be responsible.

"If certain pets are aggressive or do not get along with other animals, they shouldn’t be put in a stressful situation as that could lead to a dangerous interaction," she said.

NTA Head of Public Affairs Dermot O'Gara said the proposal aims to have consistency across the transportation network as pet owners cannot use public transport fully at present due to different approaches being adopted.

The NTA is proposing that the current rules around pets on public transport be changed, so that small dogs, cats or other animals that do not threaten the safety of other passengers may travel on public transport under the following conditions:

• The animal must be carried in a suitable box, basket or other container.
• Animals are not allowed on seats and must remain on the customer’s lap or on the ground in a way that does not obstruct other passengers or passageways.
• Animals must be kept away from other travelling animals to ensure the safety and comfort of other customers and pets.

The NTA proposes that larger dogs can access public transport once they have a lead and a muzzle, but that they may be refused entry if the service is reaching capacity.

There are no proposals to change the rules around guide or assistance dogs.

As things stand, Bus Éireann does not permit dogs, cats or other animals to travel on its buses.

On Dublin Bus, animals are not permitted if they are likely to cause annoyance or damage to any customer or property, and drivers or inspectors can make that call.

Animals are permitted on rail services, but Iarnród Éireann says it reserves the right to refuse to carry any animal which is likely to cause inconvenience to passengers due to its size or behaviour, with staff being allowed to remove such pets from trains.

Balanced response

Mr O’Gara said the NTA was surprised by the huge level of interest in the proposal, describing submissions so far as balanced between those for and against.

"The NTA will write up a report that will take into account the concerns and address them so the next stage of the process can happen soon," he said.

"We need to evaluate the submissions to get an overall picture, but there are no specific plans at the moment in terms of trialling this out or having it introduced gradually. It’s too early to say when it would be introduced and how it might be policed."

Issues raised in submissions so far have included concerns about a lack of space on buses and trams, overcrowding, passenger safety and hygiene factors.

Members of the public also highlighted that some people can be allergic to cats and dogs, while some are fearful of animals.

Those who agreed with the proposal said that it would bring Ireland more in line with other European countries, and they pointed out that not everyone has a car to bring their pet to the vet or groomer.

Some said that they did not want to see restricted breeds of dogs allowed on public transport.

Transport union to submit proposal

The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) will put in a submission on the proposal this week.

Thomas O’Connor, Assistant General Secretary of the NBRU, said that bus drivers do not want the proposed changes to go ahead.

He said that drivers cannot rely on people to be responsible for their pets when drivers will ultimately be in charge of their vehicles if there are disputes or security issues on board.

"I don’t think it’s going to be possible to police and it only takes one animal to act up to impact the experience for everyone else," he said.

"The bus is too confined a space, and if dogs are taking up standing space, there wouldn’t be room for multiple animals.

"I’m a dog lover myself, but what the NTA is asking is for bus drivers to become experts.

"Responsibility will be landed on the driver’s doorstep when they have enough to deal with already," he said.

He added that people might want to keep their animals at the front of the bus, especially large dogs like a St Bernard, which is supposed to be kept as a priority area for older people, prams and wheelchairs.

"People can have a phobia of dogs and if this goes through, it might dissuade people from using public transport," he said.

Pet welfare must be considered, says animal behaviourist

Animal behaviourist Suzi Walsh said that pet welfare must also be considered.

"Ask yourself whether your dog would want to be on a bus, and whether you’ll be able to train your dog to behave appropriately.

"In countries where this is in place already, pets tend to be using buses from a young age and so they are socialised.

"There are dogs that are going to have difficulties if it’s very crowded and they hear new sounds they are not used to. There are very few dogs that would comfortably get on a bus and sit quietly.

"Owners will need to be observant of their pet’s body language to ensure safety for the public and the animals themselves," she said.

Ms Walsh said that public transport must be accessible and those who have fears of animals need to be taken into account.

"I’m sure pet owners would be acting in good faith, but if you’re terrified of a dog on board, you could have a panic attack.

"I work with children who can’t go to a public park because of their experiences with dogs. I'm a dog lover and I'd love to take my dog on a bus, but we have to think of people who are genuinely uncomfortable.

"If we want a dog friendly society, we need to have the welfare of dogs and people protected at all times," she said.

The deadline for submissions on the NTA proposal online or by post is this Friday.