Dogs On The Subway

I will be in New York City tomorrow and staying over until sometime late Monday afternoon. I will have my dog, which is a Lab/Boxer mix...VERY friendly. I have heard that people have gotten away with taking dogs on the subway. Is that true??? I know dogs are allowed on Metro-North, which I've taken my dog on several times when I was in New York three weeks ago. If I could take her on the subway as well, that would be cool! Thanks for any info.

SubwayTim wrote:I will be in New York City tomorrow and staying over until sometime late Monday afternoon. I will have my dog, which is a Lab/Boxer mix...VERY friendly. I have heard that people have gotten away with taking dogs on the subway. Is that true??? I know dogs are allowed on Metro-North, which I've taken my dog on several times when I was in New York three weeks ago. If I could take her on the subway as well, that would be cool! Thanks for any info.

Only seeing-eye dogs are permitted if I remember correctly. I know many people in the city with dogs and I'm pretty sure that they're not allowed. I've never seen a dog on the subway in my life but I'm sure it's happened.

Seeing eye dogs can go anywhere. Your dog should be allowed on a train provided it is in a pet carrier.

pennsy wrote:Seeing eye dogs can go anywhere. Your dog should be allowed on a train provided it is in a pet carrier.

Being a Lab/Boxer mix at 60 Lbs., carrying my dog in a pet carrier would be extremely awkward, if not impossible. I personally feel that it sucks big time that leashed dogs are not allowed on most city transit systems. If leashed dogs are allowed on Boston's subways (the "T") with no problems, why can't other transit systems follow suite??? I know this belongs in another forum, but why is it you can take dogs on Metro-North, but not on the rest of the system (subways, buses, LIRR)???

Dogs are not allowed in the subway because they are a hazard to the system as well as passengers.

Small pets are allowed on NYCT subway only when caged or confined to restrict movement.

Dogs can't go on the T in boston either only service Animals

hi55us wrote:Dogs can't go on the T in boston either only service Animals

Since when did that go into affect??? I've read and heard from several sources, including a couple of pet-friendly travel websites, that well-behaved leashed dogs of any size are allowed on Boston's T during off-peak hours and weekends, but can't occupy a seat. It's sort of like Metro-North in New York.

hi55us wrote:Dogs can't go on the T in boston either only service Animals

Dogs are allowed on the T as long as they are leashed and under control.

SubwayTim wrote:

pennsy wrote:Seeing eye dogs can go anywhere. Your dog should be allowed on a train provided it is in a pet carrier.

Being a Lab/Boxer mix at 60 Lbs., carrying my dog in a pet carrier would be extremely awkward, if not impossible. I personally feel that it sucks big time that leashed dogs are not allowed on most city transit systems. If leashed dogs are allowed on Boston's subways (the "T") with no problems, why can't other transit systems follow suite??? I know this belongs in another forum, but why is it you can take dogs on Metro-North, but not on the rest of the system (subways, buses, LIRR)???

Subway cars and buses can get extremely crowded at any time (not just rush hours). A dog on a leash is liable to be caught in the crush of humans in a rather confined area and get injured or even react negatively by biting (even good natured dogs). Also while waiting on a platform even though the dog is on a leash it could still get away from you and run onto the tracks and into the tunnel and cause massive delays.

A seeing eye dog on the other hand is heavily trained on how to behave in crowded areas such as buses and subways.

This thread hasn't been active for a bit, but as a New Yorker with a very well behaved 60lb Shepherd Mix, I just don't agree dogs have to be kept off the subway. Yes, there are potential problems with crowded trains, and I wouldn't want my dog on a crowded train, but I've had him on the #1 a number of times, and he's always behaved beautifully, and nobody complained (and happily, no transit police showed up).

That's why the Boston T, and many other dog-friendly subway systems around the world, stipulate that dogs are only permitted during offpeak hours. It works fine, everywhere it's tried. The reason dogs aren't allowed on the NYC subway is that politicians are afraid to take the heat, and there's no real incentive for them to innovate.

On a dog-related blog I do, I have just proposed a solution--MuttroCard! People who bring large dogs onto Seattle buses and streetcars pay a fare for the dog, same as if he or she was a human. Why not institute a Proof of Payment system for people to pay a separate fare for their dogs, and get a receipt to prove they did so? The machines are already available, and there can be rules regarding when dogs can board, etc. Problems with enforcement? They didn't seem to worry about that when they banned people from moving between cars. Oh yeah, that rule is totally enforceable.

http://washingtontykes.blogspot.com

(Can't do a specific article link--if you're reading this some time after I posted, do a blog search using the word MuttroCard)

The reason Guide and Assistance dogs are allowed is that interest groups for the disabled would raise holy hell if they weren't. In fact, most dogs could cope with an offpeak subway car just as well as any guide dog. And the proof of that is that they do, in cities all over Europe, and Australia, and in Boston, and Toronto. Would there be problems with poorly socialized dogs sometimes? Sure. So? Would they begin to compare to the problems caused by poorly socialized humans?

The MTA would get millions in new revenue, subway crime would drop, and the trains would be friendlier. Let New York join the rest of the civilized world, and get over this idiotic prejudice. I pay my taxes, I pay my fares, I want to be able to take my dog around the city without having to spend a fortune on cabs. MuttroCard!

lyonscj wrote:This thread hasn't been active for a bit, but as a New Yorker with a very well behaved 60lb Shepherd Mix, I just don't agree dogs have to be kept off the subway. Yes, there are potential problems with crowded trains, and I wouldn't want my dog on a crowded train, but I've had him on the #1 a number of times, and he's always behaved beautifully, and nobody complained (and happily, no transit police showed up).

That's why the Boston T, and many other dog-friendly subway systems around the world, stipulate that dogs are only permitted during offpeak hours. It works fine, everywhere it's tried. The reason dogs aren't allowed on the NYC subway is that politicians are afraid to take the heat, and there's no real incentive for them to innovate.

On a dog-related blog I do, I have just proposed a solution--MuttroCard! People who bring large dogs onto Seattle buses and streetcars pay a fare for the dog, same as if he or she was a human. Why not institute a Proof of Payment system for people to pay a separate fare for their dogs, and get a receipt to prove they did so? The machines are already available, and there can be rules regarding when dogs can board, etc. Problems with enforcement? They didn't seem to worry about that when they banned people from moving between cars. Oh yeah, that rule is totally enforceable.

http://washingtontykes.blogspot.com

(Can't do a specific article link--if you're reading this some time after I posted, do a blog search using the word MuttroCard)

The reason Guide and Assistance dogs are allowed is that interest groups for the disabled would raise holy hell if they weren't. In fact, most dogs could cope with an offpeak subway car just as well as any guide dog. And the proof of that is that they do, in cities all over Europe, and Australia, and in Boston, and Toronto. Would there be problems with poorly socialized dogs sometimes? Sure. So? Would they begin to compare to the problems caused by poorly socialized humans?

The MTA would get millions in new revenue, subway crime would drop, and the trains would be friendlier. Let New York join the rest of the civilized world, and get over this idiotic prejudice. I pay my taxes, I pay my fares, I want to be able to take my dog around the city without having to spend a fortune on cabs. MuttroCard!

This isn't preduidce and it's most certanily not idioidc. For one, This isn't just transit policy, None of the Railroads (and NJT for that matter) allow animals unless it can be put in a container. What if Spot has to use the restroom while he's on the train? A bus driver once wrote that on a cold day (meaning the heat was on), a woman brings a cat onto a bus in a box. the cat took a leak and the bus smelled so bad a dispacter fainted. There is also the City and state health codes.

It can be argued that Seattle, Boston and Toronto are not being dog freindly, but are much more interested in atracting the person, posably covinceing them to use their servecs more often if they can bring an animal.

I'm seeing more and more dogs on the subway. Always the small breeds in bags or soft carriers, but lots more than I used to.

This isn't preduidce and it's most certanily not idioidc.

::sigh::

For one, This isn't just transit policy, None of the Railroads (and NJT for that matter) allow animals unless it can be put in a container.

Wrong. The Metro North allows large dogs on a leash, and has for many years. I've taken two different dogs on the Hudson Line. The conductors take our tickets and smile at our dog.

And again, the Boston T allows dogs on a leash, and so do the Seattle streetcars and buses (if you pay an additional fare).

What if Spot has to use the restroom while he's on the train?

You don't know very much about dogs, do you? This is the problem. People don't understand that a housebroken dog doesn't relieve himself indoors, and a train is definitely perceived as indoors. In any event, maybe you've never ridden the NYC Subway? If you ever see urine on the floor, it's not a dog who left it there.

A bus driver once wrote that on a cold day (meaning the heat was on), a woman brings a cat onto a bus in a box. the cat took a leak and the bus smelled so bad a dispacter fainted.

So? Cats and dogs are allowed on most subways, buses, and commuter trains in containers. You want to change that rule, on the basis of a handful of incidents? So when are they going to ban toddlers?

There is also the City and state health codes.

Irrelevant. Dogs are no more unhealthy on a leash than they are in a bag. And people won't be catching flu bugs from them, but sneezing wheezing people are still allowed onboard.

It can be argued that Seattle, Boston and Toronto are not being dog freindly, but are much more interested in atracting the person, posably covinceing them to use their servecs more often if they can bring an animal.

What a great argument! And in fact, it's pretty much the argument I'm making--only let's turn it to a financial advantage for a cash-strapped transit system. Which would people like less--having to share offpeak trains with a few friendly mutts, or having a lot fewer trains to share with each other?

the health code says NO, there for, it's NO. a large majorty of animals people keep as pets are banned within the city.

the Transit museum keeps a cat, the one that lived there while I worked there was litter box trained, but he still went on the floor at the main enterance. what's to say a dog won't get confused at an outdoor station.

the TA is not being mean, this is what the law says. change the law, then try to convince the TA. Why should it drop what it's doing to worry about your dog getting around?

and yes, I've had a dog, and yes, I ride the subway. for the record, I haven't seen or smelled the results of a person taking a leak in a long, long time.