Amtrak Pets on Board Trial

[the Other Mike]

I wonder where the boxcars that had A/C and high speed trucks on them that were tagged on the end of hurricane evacuation trains are in the off season ?

Oh wait, that would be using sense.

 

[Henry Kisor]

Quite a few of the participants in this thread are objecting to the idea of philosophical equivalence between humans and animals.

But both science and society are advancing the argument that many animals are far more sapient than we had earlier thought. I.e., Fido knows what you're thinking and behaves accordingly toward you. Naturally this trend is helping fuel the idea that Fido is indeed a loved and valued member of your family and ought to be accommodated.

I hope the experiment is successful and that Amtrak allows transport of pets with their owners. Of course there still will be problems about allergies and with people who dislike the presence of animals. Perhaps a pet-free car could be designated on every train to accommodate that—say, one of the three coaches on the Zephyr. Wouldn't cost a dime, would it?

 

[Cina]

So what I'm getting from this thread is, even after I've checked my baby I STILL can't take my seeing eye horse on board?

www.guidehorse.com

 

[Guest]

The Amtrak experiment is limited to cats and dogs, but guide horses certainly are a possibility. They're miniature horses, dog-sized, not Budweiser Clydesdales, for cryin' out loud.

 

[tonys96]

Am I the only one who is honestly disturbed by those proclaiming some sort of equivalence between human infants and pet animals?

No.

 

[SarahZ]

Am I the only one who is honestly disturbed by those proclaiming some sort of equivalence between human infants and pet animals?

No.

Then you guys are reading way too much into what I'm saying. Read my last response. Again. Read it a few times, actually. Then look up "analogies" in the dictionary.

 

[fillyjonk]

I have many concerns with this, because it seems that people often don't know how to behave in public any more:

1. People letting their pets out "for air" or "to see the scenery" and pet gets loose in the train. ("If anyone sees a hamster running around in car 333, please alert the conductor")

2. Barking dogs or howling cats. All night long.

3. People whose pets have fleas, and those fleas get transferred to other passengers. Or other passengers' pets. Or disease transmission.

4. Someone who brings on an ill-behaved pet, takes them out of the carrier (even if it's against the rules - people break "the rules" all the time), it bites someone. I know someone who lost part of a pinky finger to their own chihuahua.

5. Allergies. I have cat allergies, not bad, but on top of the other things I'm sensitive to (like cleaning fluids), it would be just another discomfort on the train. This would probably be lessened by their being a designated "pet car," but I remember back when there were smoking cars, a couple times I got PUT in the car with the smoking lounge because "that's the one the doors will open from at your stop" and my explaining I had allergies cut no ice.

6. People bringing snakes or something and winding up sitting next to a severe snakephobe. Even on a "pet car," that could happen.

7. The snake getting out and meeting up with the hamster that got out!

 

[dlagrua]

Our pet cat was close to 30lbs when we got her and now she's about 20 lbs. just at the Amtrak weight limit.

If "small" pets are allowed on Amtrak it will bring the service to airline standards. My son often travels with his pet Yorkie Winston Beauregard LaGrua but those trips are under 5 hours. Amtrak can easily follow this policy

 

[Eyegor]

Pets aren't people, they belong in the baggage car.

Bona fide service animals are most definitely not PETS.

Unfortunately, as with most things, some selfish arrogant people find ways to circumvent the laws regarding accommodating service animals, via brazenly bogus "certification", or baldfaced lying.

And no, "emotional support animals" don't count. Otherwise just about every pet would meet that vague definition.

Well said. That somes up my feelings as well. I'm all in favor of being able to travel with your critters; be they furry, finned, or scaly. However, they are not people. Pets belong in a climate controlled baggage car and bonafide service animals (which again are working, and not pets) belong with their human. I will go so far as to say, that even traveling with pets in a baggage car, make the passengers responsible for their care. On LD routes, this means access for walking, feeding, etc. And yes, it is reasonable to think an additional fee is appropriate.

As an alternative, if you want to bring a pet, you cannot travel in coach and you are responsible for keeping the animal in the roomette/bedroom and the condition of said space.

Lastly, I agree that this trial seems too limited to obtain truly pertinent data. Oddly enough, I also think places with the heaviest pax volumes (like the NEC) may be the worst routes to effectively gather data. Something in between seems like a beter alternative.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

...the Hamdog. :giggle: ...

What a brilliant idea as something to serve in the dining car!

I'll bet it would taste like scrapple, h34r: but hey, it could help with the bottom line!

And THAT is all that matters these daze!

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I better make sure my big kitty stays under 20 lbs. He generally weighs about 19 lbs.

Wonder if the 20 lbs includes the weight of the carrier.

And who at Amtrak would be brave/stupid enough to try and find out what a cat that size weighs? :unsure:

On second thought, based on some experiences I've had... :help:

^_^

 

[SarahZ]

6. People bringing snakes or something and winding up sitting next to a severe snakephobe. Even on a "pet car," that could happen.

7. The snake getting out and meeting up with the hamster that got out!

Snakes are not allowed. Per the article, it's cats and dogs only.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I better make sure my big kitty stays under 20 lbs. He generally weighs about 19 lbs.

Wonder if the 20 lbs includes the weight of the carrier.

And who at Amtrak would be brave/stupid enough to try and find out what a cat that size weighs? :unsure:

On second thought, based on some experiences I've had... :help:

^_^

He's a gentle giant. He's 99% Maine Coon. If I get him a summer/lion cut he'll weigh less.

But I have no intention of taking him on any train rides.

 

[FriskyFL]

So when your 3 hour corridor trip turns into a 12 hour trip from hell because some bozo decided to play "beat the train", who gets the pleasure of cleaning up the mess? The overflowing human lavatories are bad enough.

 

[Ryan]

Am I the only one who is honestly disturbed by those proclaiming some sort of equivalence between human infants and pet animals?

No.

Then you guys are reading way too much into what I'm saying. Read my last response. Again. Read it a few times, actually. Then look up "analogies" in the dictionary.

Sorry, made up controversy is what we thrive on here.

6. People bringing snakes or something and winding up sitting next to a severe snakephobe. Even on a "pet car," that could happen.

7. The snake getting out and meeting up with the hamster that got out!

Snakes are not allowed. Per the article, it's cats and dogs only.

As is not reading the article and just spewing forth the first thing that comes to mind no matter how disconnected from reality it actually is.

I've argued against pets onboard in the past. Other peoples pets annoy me, particularly dogs.

But this is probably a good thing for Amtrak, opening up the pool of possible passengers. People with allergies will just have to learn to live with it the way people with allergies to other things have to. It's a part of life.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Pets are not people. My rats are not nearly as stupid as most people I meet on the internet, that's for sure. I resent people suggesting that such a high class of life as a rat could ever be compared with the menace that is the human infant.

But seriously (and I'm not kidding about the relatively high intelligence of rodents compared to a cat or a dog, by the way) this policy is ridiculous. I can bring a small dog- an animal with insane amounts of dander, the capability to generate a lot of noise, and a basic dislike of being cooped up. But I can't bring my rats, which are basically silent, are cooped up all day long anyway, and produce far less dander. Why?

 

[andersone]

great line DP "LD trains are an entirely different animal than short distance trains"

I think it is important to remember as well that how you feel about fido or kitty may not be the way someone else feels about fido or kitty, but the same could be said about my ex wife

 

[CaliforniaMom]

Nobody is advocating babies in a baggage car.

I don't want my quiet and well behaved baggage exposed to something like that.

Funny!

 

[CaliforniaMom]

...the Hamdog. :giggle: ...

What a brilliant idea as something to serve in the dining car!

I'll bet it would taste like scrapple, h34r: but hey, it could help with the bottom line!

And THAT is all that matters these daze!

With a can of worms as an appetizer...

 

[CalifMomX5]

Pets aren't people, they belong in the baggage car.

Bona fide service animals are most definitely not PETS.

Unfortunately, as with most things, some selfish arrogant people find ways to circumvent the laws regarding accommodating service animals, via brazenly bogus "certification", or baldfaced lying.

And no, "emotional support animals" don't count. Otherwise just about every pet would meet that vague definition.

Well said. That somes up my feelings as well. I'm all in favor of being able to travel with your critters; be they furry, finned, or scaly. However, they are not people. Pets belong in a climate controlled baggage car and bonafide service animals (which again are working, and not pets) belong with their human. I will go so far as to say, that even traveling with pets in a baggage car, make the passengers responsible for their care. On LD routes, this means access for walking, feeding, etc. And yes, it is reasonable to think an additional fee is appropriate.

As an alternative, if you want to bring a pet, you cannot travel in coach and you are responsible for keeping the animal in the roomette/bedroom and the condition of said space.

Lastly, I agree that this trial seems too limited to obtain truly pertinent data. Oddly enough, I also think places with the heaviest pax volumes (like the NEC) may be the worst routes to effectively gather data. Something in between seems like a beter alternative.

I would not want to be in the roomette/bedroom after an animal has been in it. There is no way that there would be time to clean it between one person getting off and another getting on. There is barely enough time now for the rooms to be cleaned after humans have gotten off. If they want to have a car completely for pets, that had that specific car door opened at every stop and they were required to stay at a distance from the other passengers then that might work. But to expect others to adapt to someone's whim of needing their pet with them all the time in the general public cars is not acceptable. What are they going to do when they decide to go eat a meal? Is Fido going to be happy being left all alone underneath the seat? Who is going to be responsible for the animal if someone decides to let it out while the owner is in the restroom or in the cafe car? Too many variables to worry about.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Maybe Amtrak should have a climate controlled car on one of the busier routes.

99 on NER maybe?

 

[Old MM]

The problem I have with most analyses of these types of travel situations is that they only consider what works, if everything is on schedule, for a particular plan. But the inherent nature of travel is that things often don't go that way. "Emotional service animals" is a legal concept that is freely abused. Should people have to sit next to a minature horse with a poop bag, in flight? It's not hard to get that psychiatrist letter if the person is determined enough. Would most people's pets be able to "hold it" for a specified time on the train? Sure, and what happens when the train runs into one of the common delays for freight traffic? Where does this impact the cost equation for other passengers? Cause many customers will find other options if need be. I can't see comparing to Europe either where the distances are relatively compressed. I'm not only not an animal hater, in fact prefer them to people much of the time. But if I get a dog he or she will be my responsibility. The early Pioneers traversed this country with all their animals - but they didn't depend on others or inconvenience others in doing so. I think there should be a weighing of personal rights with other people's rights.

 

[SarahZ]

Read. The. Article. Nobody is going to bring a horse, a snake, a spider, a dog over 20 pounds, a giraffe, a baboon, or a meerkat. Do you know why? Because, according to the article, these animals are not allowed.

For pets that weigh under 20 pounds, which is the rule (read the article) they can get absorbent pads for the crates. Airlines require them. They absorb liquid and smells. Solids can be flushed down the toilet, just like you would with a cloth diaper. Then, the soiled pad is wrapped in a plastic baggie, tied off, and put in the bathroom waste bin, just like a dirty diaper.

When I've moved to a new city with my cats, they never used their pad on those 3-4 hour trips (the test run is 4.5 hours at the longest, traveling from Chicago to Quincy, according to the article everyone should have read by now). But for animals that might, there are those pads, and I imagine Amtrak will require them just like the airlines do.

If we're going to talk personal rights versus other people's rights, then let me enter Exhibit A (shrieking babies), Exhibit B (people who wear a gallon of perfume), and Exhibit C (people who eat peanuts). Let's not forget Exhibit D (cell phone talkers) and Exhibit E (people who are drunk but not drunk enough to get kicked off the train). Oh, and Exhibit F (people who get on the train smelling like a dirty ashtray).

Amtrak allows all of these things, and now they are testing the idea of allowing animals under 20 pounds. If Amtrak didn't allow anything that infringed on another traveler's happiness and/or allergies, those would be some pretty empty trains.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I think they should test ban exhibits A through F, instead of allowing pets.

 

[SarahZ]

I think they should test ban exhibits A through F, instead of allowing pets.

Haha. I'm that hermit in the roomette with earplugs and headphones (at the same time) and my curtain drawn. It's my hamster ball of solitude.

I only come out when they announce that it's my turn to be fed. Oh, and to use the restroom and bathe. Other than that, it's Hamster Ball a Go-Go.