A dog owner has said that being able to travel on public transport with her pet would provide greater accessibility and peace of mind, reports RTE.
The National Transport Authority has launched a public consultation on introducing a consistent policy for travelling with pets on bus, rail and Luas services, reports RTE.
It has received nearly 1,500 submissions since the consultation opened last month.
Deborah Joa, who lives in Dublin, said her family depends on public transport because they do not own a car and that in the past they have had to rent a car if they needed to take their dog Peanut somewhere beyond walking distance, although they have had no difficulty bringing him short or long distances by train, reports RTE.
“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,” reports RTE.
Ms Joa recently bought a pram for Peanut in the hope that he might be permitted to travel on the bus while inside 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,” reports RTE.
Ms Joa added that she has relatives living in New York, where pets are allowed on the subway provided they are placed in a bag or 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, reports RTE.
NTA Head of Public Affairs Dermot O’Gara said the proposal is intended to create consistency across the transport network, as pet owners currently cannot fully use public transport due to varying rules between services.
The NTA is proposing that current regulations regarding pets on public transport be changed so that small dogs, cats or other animals that do not pose a safety risk to passengers may travel under certain conditions, reports RTE.
The animal must be carried in a suitable box, basket or other container.
Animals will not be permitted on seats and must remain either on the owner’s lap or on the ground in a way that does not block other passengers or passageways, reports RTE.
Animals must also be kept separate from other travelling animals to maintain safety and comfort for passengers and pets.
The NTA also proposes that larger dogs may be allowed on public transport provided they are on a lead and wearing a muzzle, although they may be refused entry if the service is already close to capacity, reports RTE.
There are no proposals to change the current rules concerning guide or assistance dogs.
At present, Bus Éireann does not allow dogs, cats or other animals to travel on its buses, reports RTE.
On Dublin Bus, animals are not permitted if they are considered likely to cause annoyance or damage to passengers or property, with drivers or inspectors responsible for making that judgement.
Animals are allowed on rail services, but Iarnród Éireann says it reserves the right to refuse any animal that could inconvenience passengers due to its size or behaviour, and staff may remove such pets from trains if necessary, reports RTE.
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Mr O’Gara said the NTA had been surprised by the strong public response to the proposal, describing the submissions received so far as evenly divided between supporters and opponents.
“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, reports RTE.
“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 highlighted in submissions so far include concerns about limited space on buses and trams, overcrowding, passenger safety and hygiene considerations, reports RTE.
Members of the public also pointed out that some people may have allergies to cats or dogs, while others may be fearful of animals.
Those who supported the proposal said it would bring Ireland more in line with other European countries and noted that not everyone owns a car to transport their pet to a vet or groomer, reports RTE.
Some also said they would not want restricted breeds of dogs to be permitted on public transport.
The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) will submit its response to the proposal later this week, reports RTE.
Thomas O’Connor, Assistant General Secretary of the NBRU, said bus drivers do not support the proposed changes.
He said drivers cannot rely on passengers to manage their pets responsibly when drivers would ultimately be responsible for handling any disputes or security issues on board, reports RTE.
“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, reports RTE.
He added that some people might want to keep their pets at the front of the bus, especially large dogs such as a St Bernard, which is meant to remain a priority area for older passengers, 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, reports RTE.
Animal behaviourist Suzi Walsh said the welfare of pets also needs to be taken into consideration.
“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, reports RTE.
Ms Walsh said public transport must remain accessible and that the concerns of people who fear animals must also be considered.
“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, reports RTE.
“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, reports RTE.
The deadline for submissions on the NTA proposal, either online or by post, is this Friday, reports RTE.
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