By Luis González
Last winter, John Donaldson had to take his cat Giai to the vet.
He doesn’t own a car and he couldn’t afford a cab. He wanted to take the bus, but had trouble finding a bus driver who would let his cat on the bus. Three buses later he finally found one.
It’s a story that’s repeated every day on OC Transpo, which is prohibited from transporting pets, including cats and dogs. The only exceptions are seeing-eye dogs.
That’s why the National Capital Coalition for People and Dogs has started an online petition to urging City Council to change the bylaw to allow pets on buses.
“The objective of the petition is to gauge the level of support and need for pets on public transit policy. If there is insufficient support for such a policy, it will not be pursued and the matter will be dropped” says Candice O’Connell, chair of the coalition.
“The petition would meet the needs of seniors, disabled folks and those in lower income brackets who do not have access to a car and may have difficulty affording cab fare to transport their pets to vet appointments or training classes.”
O’Connell says the petition has been well received. After only two weeks it already had about 400 signatures.
Those against the change in the bylaw base their opposition on issues such as health and hygiene.
“I am against it, it is just a matter of respect for the other passengers. There might be passengers with allergies or who don’t like dogs,” says OC Transpo driver Stéphan Bureau.
Some websites and letters to the editor of local newspapers have also shown opposition to the change.
“Another reason not to let pets on the bus is the risk of passengers being bitten by a dog who may get agitated with all the people around them,” wrote Martha Azevedo in a letter to the Ottawa Citizen.
O’Connell says these are valid arguments in a dog-leash scenario, but explains that “the coalition is looking for a policy for small animals in crates or carrying bags. This allows folks with small fur-bearing animals or birds in hand-held crates on public transit during off-peak hours.”
O’Connell says the coalition’s proposal minimizes allergies and other hygiene-related risks.
“Reports suggest that the transfer of dander from pets in crates is very low and that pet owners who currently ride the buses transfer more dander from the clothes than what might be transferred from a small cat or dog in a crate,” she says. “Besides animals would not be permitted on board unless secure in a crate or other suitable pet carrying bag, thereby precluding any issue of pet waste.”