I was wondering on people’s opinion on allowing/forbidding pets on public transport, and the rules that need to be followed? On one hand, pets can be more unhygienic than humans, allergenic (hair) and sometimes can misbehave, and they don’t tend to need to travel as far and frequently (vet visits can be made locally in city areas, and local parks and walking tracks can allow for walking)
However it would be nice to be able to go further than near the house with your pet, whether that is to the local vet/park/groomer which is a bit too far for a walk, or to a vacationing spot where taking a car would be inconvenient, e.g. for a walk in the city or for a walk/vacation on an island.
As much I’d love to have pets permitted on public transport so I could take my dog to various places around Brisbane without driving, I’d rather have them prohibited.
Pets can’t control their number 1 or 2 like humans do, and would most likely release urine or faeces in public transport. After the pets urinated or defecated, it would need to be cleaned thoroughly to completely remove the odour, ensuring that other pets wouldn’t urinate/defecate on the same spot (this is more of dog behaviour, but this could apply to other animals).
The behaviour of other animals are harder to manage compared to humans, it would be unpleasant to have animals playing, fighting, running around inside the train, disturbing other passengers.
Pets also shed dander, which can be a major hazard for passengers with allergies or breathing problems. Since the goal of PT is to be as accessible as possible, allowing pets in PT would make PT less accessible for people with allergies or breathing problems.
I’m fine with them allowing pets on the open deck of the CityCats, but in an enclosed carriage I think they really need to remain prohibited. I’m not a fan of their being allowed on Virgin flights for similar reasons (but at least they would be in a travel crate in that situation).
I love my dog to bits and would love to take him everywhere, but allowing pets in Bunnings has done enough to prove they shouldn’t be allowed in any tightly enclosed space like a bus or train.
Allowing dogs on public transport is a no brainer. Why is a dog allowed on a ferry but not a train? Obviously they can have the same rules about being in a carrier or have a muzzle and need to be controlled etc. But not allowing dogs to get out and about means they get less exercise and people then have limited transport options not being able to go anywhere because of their pets.
Dogs are allowed on public transport in Sydney, Melbourne, all of Germany, London, New York, just to name the places I’ve been to. What makes Brisbane/SEQ special? We don’t have a monopoly on dog allergies
Even though I don’t really like the idea of having pets on trains and buses, I think that in Australia pet ownership is so common even in highly urbanised settings that not allowing pets may be an impediment to reducing car ownership in those areas as people might need to transport their pets to see a vet or a specialist that pet owners who might otherwise not feel a need for a car might decide they need to keep a car for that purpose. I think it should be allowed with restrictions on the size of the pet, off peak hours only, muzzled or in a carrier/cage, and designated sections that the owner must stay in on the train carriage or bus.