City councillors voted against drafting a pilot project Sept.10 that would have let small crated pets ride city buses during off-peak hours.
Council rejected the pilot project, proposed in a motion from Bay Coun. Alex Cullen, that would have allowed non-service pets, such as a cats, to ride on city tranist in a 14-8 vote.
The city allows registered service animals, such as seeing-eye dogs, to ride transit.
In August, the city’s transit committee had defeated two similar motions to bring the project to council.
The issue of allowing pets on busses arose this summer after a woman was prevented from boarding the bus with her ferret.
The woman had a letter from a psychiatrist confirming that her animal was an assistance animal. However, her bus crossed into Quebec, where service animals must be registered with an organization recognized by the province.
The transit committee dealt with a similar issue in 1999. It recommended no change be made in the by-law which allows seeing-eye dogs and other service animals on public transit. Owners must carry an assistance card in order to bring their animal on the bus.
Other Canadian cities, such as Gatineau, have policies that allow animals on board.