At this time the only canine companions permitted on Metro Vancouver transit are those serving a working purpose, such seeing eye dogs, or those that are in small cages.
Vancouver Park Board thinks should be a little different, however.
The board recently recommended that transit open its services to all dogs, regardless of occupation and free of carrier cages.
Their goal is to have more dogs in off-leash parks, and having accessible transit would make this a great deal easier. Moreover, they argue that with the growing population, having people drive to parks adds to congestion and exacerbates pollution.
The recommendation is part of the People, Parks & Dogs Strategy that aims to increase the number of dogs in off-leash parks and it also aims to have one of these parks within 15 minutes of every dog in Vancouver.
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Vancouver Transit: Should Dogs Be Allowed?
The Vancouver Sun notes that, “dogs are allowed on transit in much of the U.K. and in cities like Berlin, where dogs are required to have a special ticket, and Prague, where dogs can ride as long as they’re muzzled.”
Of course, some people may feel reluctant about having dogs on transit. A dog was recently banned from West Vancouver after it was deemed too dangerous, and many people are simply afraid of them.
On the other hand, the number of dogs in the city is steadily growing. Many people even feel comforted by canines, and YVR even introduced a pet therapy program filled with comforting pooches.
How do you think Vancouver should react to the park board’s recommendation? Do you think that all dogs should have access to public transit? Do you think certain dogs shouldn’t have access, while others should? Or, do you think that the idea has major problems and should be scrapped?
Sound off in the comments below!
