While homebound, I thought it might be a good idea to review the written and unspoken rules of riding public transit. Keeping to the right, leaving your purse dog at home and allowing riders to exit before entering should be obvious, but often riders make the commute more difficult and exasperating than necessary. Feel free to e-mail me your suggestions, stories and observations to hill(dot)katherinem(at)gmail(dot)com.
I'm not a big fan of rules, per se. I'm a fan of following the law, I strictly follow the rules at work and I believe very strongly in a code of moral and ethics in regards to journalism, but that's it. Want to go in the out door? Have 13 items in the 10 items or less express lane? Sneaking in candy and a can of soda from home to the cinema? That's fine with me. Just obey the law of transit and we'll all be fine.
The strangest rule bending is, for me, the most flabbergasting: bringing your dog on the Metro. The refusal to leave the pooch at home seemed to hit its pinnacle (in the area) when I was living the life of luxury in the suburbs. And the widespread dependence seems to have come to an end, so I was especially surprised in September when I saw a GWU student with a miniature Shetland Sheepdog in the ticket queue.
The student and the puppy were drenched from a sudden downpour on the mall and were preparing to board the train home. The rule breaker in question had clearly ridden the train to the mall and thus passed numerous signs throughout the station disavowing the dog's participation.
Dogs should be left at home as they can be a disruption in the station, on the platform and in the car. Riders may be sensitive to dogs and forcing a dog on a rider with allergies is rude and unfair. It's also unwise. What if the dog is upset and acts out? I shouldn't get bitten because you can't leave your animal at home. Most pet owners react to this statement the way an indignant parent would with a child: My dog is not like everyone else's dog. Except we don't know that, and Metro can't write the rules to exclude every dog but yours.
Animals are also a hindrance in keeping stations and cars clean. Metro is already filthy with people and personal detritus. (If people can't eat you can't possibly expect that your pet is allowed, can you?)
If you need to cart your pet to a destination and can't walk or drive, take a taxi.
Comments
Amtrak bans dogs, as does Greyhound. Thus, I don't do any distance travel with the train or bus. I don't see why anyone would need to travel on Metro with a pet. Bring your dog to work day? I don't think so.
Pet dogs (even large ones)- leashed, on the floor, and generally muzzled - are allowed on transit systems in large cities like Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and Toronto including connecting suburban services, Metro North in NYC, plus most cities in Europe... and European intercity rail.
For more info see "Dogs on Board!" at www.greenidea.eu
Michelle, I'm glad that you agree and that I haven't offended you.
Todd, I'll keep that in mind when I visit other cities. So I can stay away (achoo!) and not trip over them. I just don't think its necessary to have any pet on any form of transit.
Metro North doesn't allow big dogs, so if you're riding the rail and bringing one...don't. (Not that you said big dogs on this transit, I'm just worried for you!) Also the animals require a kennel, which I think is a GREAT idea.
"Small domestic pets are permitted provided they're carried in kennels or similar containers, or are securely controlled on leashes throughout the trip and do not annoy other customers. Pets should not occupy seats and are subject to approval by the conductor. Service animals properly harnessed and accompanying people with disabilities are always welcome in MTA's network."
mta-nyc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/mta_nyc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=516&p_created=1054149318&p_sid=nZo7aOkj&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MyZwX3Byb2RfbHZsMT0mcF9wcm9kX2x2bDI9JnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9cGV0&p_li=
This rule (small domestic in kennels/carriers) is the same for MTA and LIR.
I'm glad you mentioned Boston because I love the T's policy:
"During off-peak hours, non-service dogs are allowed at the discretion of T vehicle operators. Dogs must be properly leashed and are not allowed to annoy riders or take up a seat. For safety and convenience during rush hours, small domestic animals must be carried in lap-sized containers."
I love that a driver can say no and the animal can't "annoy" passengers AND can't ride during busy rides.
I think I'll look into other cities just because I'm curious now.
...The above example was a small leashed dog. It grew frustrated and confused in the melee.
Hi Katherine,
First of all, I am only talking about dogs on leashes, i.e. ones that cannot be easily carried, because that is both a typical situation and something to use as a general standard for "dogcarryability".
Second, I have been following this issue for two years, and never heard about problems for pet allergy sufferers on any existing transit service which allows pets. If a particular service considering a pets-on-board policy wants to create a petfree area, I would certainly support it. I should add that assistance dogs supported by ADA can also be present and people seem to accept that and not "wait for the next bus". Finnish and Swedish intercity trains have allergy-free rooms, but this does not just apply to animal dander.
Third, I realize that you might have received information on what is not a "small domestic pet" in the definition of Metro North staff, but my experience is that as long as a dog can lay underneath a passenger's legs it is generally permitted. This roughly means dogs like Labrador Retrievers or smaller.
Regarding the T's rules, it is the case on perhaps all services all around the world which allow dogs that the driver or staff has the final say, and that they might make a determination based on the dog being a good passenger. It goes without saying that this also applies to two-legged animals!
This mention of tripping over dogs is kind of interesting, when you considering that a general, accepted condition of communal travel is the ability to negotiate one's way around what might be a crowded vehicle. In other words, most people who take transit are used to dealing with other people in public spaces, which requires a certain amount of compromise.
For more info on where it is allowed in the NYC area, see what your colleague recently posted: www.examiner.com/x-1028-New-York-Small-Dog-Examiner~y2008m9d26-Can-I-take-my-dog-on-the-subway-and-other-public-transportation-in-New-York-City
But perhaps we have gotten distracted from what I feel are the environmental and social benefits, which are listed in the entry on my website which I listed in my first reply.
Finally I would add a little about how important pet dogs are to people's lives.
The first comes from another colleague of yours, this time also from D.C. www.examiner.com/x-1514-DC-Dogs-Examiner and needs little comment. That bereavement issues with dogs are so important comes as no surprise when according to the 2005 Pew Social Trends Report 85 percent considered their dogs to be family members. See newsminer.com/news/2008/nov/16/americans-say-they-are-closer-their-pets-their-par/
The ecological footprint of Europeans is lower in part because they have the ability to make more sustainable mobility choices than Americans. I am not sure how much the liberal dogs-on-board policies of most European countries contribute to this, but it certainly helps to give people options.
The intense interest in the Obama family's likely adoption of a dog again underscores how important dogs are to people in this country. However, most other dogs will not have a limo, helicopter or 747 to carry them around, and since many of us - whether we like it or not - are going to be riding more public transit, it is time to be open to new ideas for how to make it work for as many people as possible.
Hi Todd!
I looked at the websites and copied what was there. I personally think a Labrador is too big, but if you've taken a dog that size and been okay, then I'm glad for you. (If that sounds sarcastic it's not :)
Have I mentioned I hate seeing purse dogs everywhere? I am allergic to some dogs and when I worked in retail in college I often suffered as customers brought in their pets.
As for tripping, I am imagining (and surviving) bodies packed around a pole and in the center of the car...with an animal underfoot. Naturally all riders are already negotiating personal space, but I think riders are liable to trip over anything under knee level. I tend to stumble over children sitting on the floor (?!) and luggage (which I think should be on one's lap or under the seat but as seen in previous entries I am the only one tripping over luggage, apparently).
I certainly hope you weren't hurt by this post. These comments have been getting very long!
I have nothing against guide dogs of course. Those animals are very different from domestic pets.
LA's Metro allows dogs in carriers, as long as they don't block the aisle.
What a jerk. Heartless and unkind. Dogs should be left at home? You should be left at home.
I plan on visiting DC with my dog in late March. As a tourist, can she not come with me? She's allowed on the subway here in Chicago... There are many people living in Chicago who do not have cars. How are they supposed to get their animals to the vet? Not everyone takes cabs.
Hi Claire!
Metro's rules apply to everyone. The current rules are the following for Metrorail and Metrobus:
The only animals that are permitted on Metrorail are service animals that assist people with disabilities. Pets are not permitted to ride Metrobus or Metrorail. However, a pet can be transported on Metrorail and Metrobus in a secure container as long as there is no possibility that the pet can get free.
I would personally prefer that Metro have a no pets policy, and not because I hate animals, but because I feel animals allowed to roam are a serious danger.
Neither of the above policies--WMATA's policy and my own--apply to service animals.
From what I understand, CTA's policy is more restrictive than MTA, limiting public transit to small dogs in carriers. (Both policy's mean real carriers, not leashes, arms, or purses.)
I love that people can live car-free in Chicago. :) Many DC residents are car free too, and I think dog owners can find ways, without taxis (I don't take cabs either), to reach the vet without breaking the rules.
Your dog can come with you anywhere on transit if you follow the rules, and you can take her around many places in DC. The Dog Examiner might have some dog friendly tips: examiner.com/x-1514-DC-Dogs-Examiner
For those that are opposed to small dogs on public transportation... are you never going to fly again? Because as far as I'm aware, most airlines allow small dogs on the flights, assuming they are small enough to fit under the seat. And a flight is typically much longer, more cramped space than a bus or a metro, so it doesn't really seem to make sense... you've probably been on a flight with a dog and didn't even realize it. people aren't forced to "leave their pet at home" when they fly somewhere, why should they be forced to when they're just going across town?
As far as I know, the last time I was in Toronto, NYC and Boston dogs were allowed on public transportation, in most big cities of any worth this is true.I think maybe DC just has too many suburbanites riding their trains. City people don't drive to the train, and they don't just use the train to go to work. It is used for shopping, for getting to entertainment etc. What if a person is tired of walking their dog in the same park everyday. They hop on a train and go to a new park. It is the way people get around in the city, if you can't take your dog it kind of makes the convenience pointless, you might as well drive around the city.
I travel with my dog everywhere and we enjoy our trips together.
We are planning a family vac this Sept to DC and we are bringing him along by plan. I would be very nice is Amtrak allowed pets in ther "rooms" charge an extra fee and make some good money from us suckers,we pet parents spend a fortune to travel with our pets. I kids and a grandson that I adore and they too come with us on our yearly family vacation, this includes "Fido" too.
RElax and let us leave and enjoy
the only t
Most dogs I know are better behaved than a lot of children. I don't like little kids
with running noses and coughs sneezing on me on the train. Should we just ban them too?
I say forget the rules and go with common sense. If you see someone with an obnoxious dog, tell them! If there dog is bothering you, just insist they remove their dog from your personal space. You certainly have that right. Don't punish all pet owners for the bad manners of a few. Our dog is everything to us and having him travel with you on vacation enhances our trip.
I'm finding that dog lovers must be a growing population by the number of pet friendly hotels found now vs. a few years ago.While visiting DC, we may bring our pooch. You ask what possible reason we have for dogs on the metro???
Our hotel is in the burbs, so how else can we affordably commute into the city?
I say, let the dogs ride! I guarantee they will be more smiles than disgust.
I am so sick of this kind of attitude. I live in L.A. I an trying to stay out of my car and be responsible. I can take my dog to a park on the metro instead of driving there - also I work long hours each day and would like to spend some time with my dog on the weekend. He is quiet, well-behaved. I don't see why I can't bring him onto a metro leashed AND buy a ticket for him. He would sit quietly at my feet and be no trouble. Get over it. Animals and animal-lovers have rights, too.
Fuck you. I should be able to bring my dog where ever I damn well please.
What if you have a therapy dog or service dog? Shouldnt they have access?
"I don't see why anyone would need to travel on Metro with a pet." <- is possibly the most ignorant statement ever. Katharine and Michelle obviously do not have dogs. As a dog owner, I would like to visit the DC metro area, possibly take a walk with my dog along the tidal basin, and not congest roads doing it. My dog travels quietly and safely on planes all the time, and most people do not even notice her presence.
Here is the policy on the metro website:
Can I bring my dog on Metrorail and Metrobus?
Service animals that assist people with disabilities are the only animals permitted to ride unconfined on Metrorail and Metrobus. However, a pet may be transported on Metrorail and Metrobus, provided it is carried aboard in a secure container from which it cannot escape.
This is somewhat contrary to the title "DC Metro: No dogs allowed." Perhaps we should have objective people, rather than misocynists, write informative articles about pet policy in the city.
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