Petition to make Vancouver transit more pet-friendly garners thousands of signatures

Thousands of people have signed a petition to make transit in Vancouver more pet-friendly. 

Portia Zaffaroni moved from Victoria to Vancouver last spring. She said she intended to get rid of her car when she moved, figuring she could easily take transit. But after a month of trying to live car-free, she found it wouldn't be possible. 

Her seven-kilogram pomeranian, Roxy, usually tags along with Zaffaroni in a backpack specifically designed to carry her around. But TransLink, the transit authority for Metro Vancouver, has a policy that says animals on transit must be in a fully enclosed, handheld carrier or backpack that can fit on the handler's lap. 

"It's not comfortable for her," Zaffaroni told Stephen Quinn, the host of CBC's The Early Edition.

"She'd be cramped inside of this little thing, won't be able to move around. It's not good for her, and it's inconvenient also to carry a cage around when you're trying to get places, whereas on your back, it's great, you just walk on."

Zaffaroni said she has friends who have larger dogs, up to 30 kilograms, who also have special backpacks for their dogs to ride in, where their head pops out the top. 

"Most dog owners … know what their dog is comfortable with, if it's a stressful situation with the dog. Tahey won't bring their dog on the train because it's not conducive for the dog's health," she said. 

As of Monday afternoon, her online petition had nearly 2,400 signatures.

The petition calls for TransLink to change its policy to allow dogs to be brought onto trains and buses without having to be in enclosed cases as long as they are contained and don't bother other customers. 

In Toronto, dogs can ride the subway on leashes as long as it isn't rush hour. 

Earlier this year, Montreal approved a pilot to allow leashed dogs on the train, following a petition from the local SPCA. According to the Montreal Gazette, that pilot should begin by the end of 2022.

Zaffaroni said she realizes some people will try to bend the rules, but if the policy changed to allow dogs to ride transit without being wholly enclosed, she said Transit Police could still fine people or kick them off the bus or train if they aren't following the updated rules. 

She notes that pet ownership has increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and rules for public transit should adapt. 

"The rules, they need to change to reflect the economy that we're in and the society that we're in."

The City of Vancouver is aiming for two-thirds of daily trips to be made by walking, cycling or taking transit by 2030 — with the intention of reducing carbon emissions by about 50 per cent. Zaffaroni said transit needs to become more pet friendly if the desire is for more people to take it. 

"By letting a huge number of people who want to use the train actually use it, you will be getting people off the roads because it's actually a huge factor for us dog owners. We hold on to our vehicles because we have no other choice."