Travelling With Your Dog On Public Transport.
Lots of dog owners are familiar with taking their dog on holiday, or for day trips in the family car. However, perhaps not so many people consider the idea of travelling with their dog on public transport. Many people may wonder if dogs are allowed to accompany their owners on public transport. Read or Holidays4Dogs article to find out more.
Buses.
This seems to be at the discretion of your local bus operator, so it is best to phone ahead before setting off to catch the bus. Support dogs will be allowed to travel free of charge and they are always allowed on buses. Where dogs are allowed on buses, they must be kept on the lead and not allowed to ride on a seat. There may be a small charge for taking your dog on the bus.
Trains.
National Rail allow pets free of charge, (maximum of two per passenger) as long they are on a lead, or contained in a suitable carrier. They must not pose a nuisance to other passengers on the train. Dogs are also allowed on sleeper trains, but must dogs must have a ticket booked 48 hours in advance of your journey. There may also be an additional cleaning charge.
London underground.
Dogs are allowed on tube trains, but they must be carried on escalators. Therefore, this is very dependent on the size of dog and the route you intend to take. Support dogs can use escalators, but owners must provide a pass to show that the dog has been trained to use them.
Taxis.
There are many private taxi firms that only allow dogs in their cars, at the driver’s discretion. Many companies, however, do not allow dogs in their cars for reasons of health and cleanliness. However, all taxi firms must, by law, allow assistance dogs under the Equality Act 2006. The only exception is where the taxi driver has an exemption certificate. This may be in cases where the taxi driver themselves have been medically diagnosed as asthmatic, for example.
Boats and ferries.
If you are taking your dog abroad on a ferry he must be part of the pet passport scheme. Dogs must stay in the car for the duration of the crossing, unless you have prepaid for on-board kennel accommodation.
You should always check with the operator before travelling to make sure you understand the rules of being on board with your dog, as well as the fees involved.
Not quite public transport, but pleasure boat operators will have their own rules about dogs on board. However, we have found that in-land river and canal way cruises, as well as sea cruises around the coast of Britain, are often amenable to carrying dogs. Always check with individual companies beforehand.
Conclusion.
Travelling with your dog on public transport can be quite an adventure. However, it could also end up being a bit of a headache. Some dogs, for instance, do not enjoy travelling on buses, or trains and may find the whole experience too stressful. It is possible to get your dog used to travelling on public transport from an early age. Like all training, make sure you start with short trips and always try to make sure the experience is positive.
It is essential you keep your dog calm, under control and out of the way while on public transport, so he needs to learn to sit quietly by your feet. This can often mean he will need to squeeze into a tight space – especially if the bus, or train, is very busy.
Once your dog is happy with this form of travel, the sky is the limit and both you and your dog can enjoy happy adventures travelling to different places together.
