JustMe Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 As far as I have been able to find out most (if not all) bus companies in Shetland to not allow passengers to bring their pets onto the bus. A quick check on the internet shows that pets are allowed on lots of UK mainland buses including those in London. Is there a council/Zettrans policy about pets and if not should there be?. After all when contracts are up for renewal a clause about carrying pets could be included. Anyone feel strongly enough about this to do something about it?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 I was quite surprised at this too when I first moved here so contacted ZetTrans. Apparently, they have raised it in the past with the bus companies. I'm currently carless (hopefully only for another week) so would be stuck if I needed to get my mutts to the vets in an emergency as many taxi firms do not take pets either - a vet cannot always carry out a home visit plus there is the additional expense when they do. It is, IMHO, a ludicrous policy on the part of the bus companies. Even on London Transport, whilst their policy states that dogs should go on the upper decks, the drivers exercise their discretion and allow you to remain on the lower deck (Said mutt may have health problems preventing them from climbing the stairs). Many drivers also exercise their discretion and will allow more than one dog onboard. Public transport is meant to be just that - public - or are cat/dog/guinea pig owners not regarded as members of the public? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Para Handy Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 As I understand it only dogs for the blind can go into Shetland Taxis.If anyone should sees a dog in a taxi walk away.Please don’t get in the car. The taxi drivers is blind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
righter Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 well i have taken my cat to vet in carrier on the bus...nobody said a word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinm Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 If I was stuck on a bus with a cat or dog I would suffer for hours afterwards, as I am alergic to them, so I would be quite happy if no pets were allowed on public transport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 there are lists of reasons why pets are no longer allowed on buses, but in the case of vet visits you can phone and check it's okay (which it nearly always is) Many of the bus drivers have some very amusing stories from over the years, but due to Shetland being a small place I don't think it's a good idea to post them in a public forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyKipper Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 well i have taken my cat to vet in carrier on the bus...nobody said a word. Me too. Being unable to drive, it's the only way. It's not like they can escape, or poop on the floor, or take up an extra space a paying passenger could use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddles Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 I unknowingly smuggled my little dog onto a bus a couple of years back..... As it was a cold,windy day he was wearing one of his little coats. a suede effect one with a fur-trimmed hood, as i picked him up to get on the bus the wind blew the hood up, i paid the fare then went and sat down, with him sitting on my knee, lapping up the attention he was getting off a couple of people, it was only a short trip and as i got off the bus, the driver told me dogs weren't allowed on buses. As i puzzled about why he hadn't told me at the start of the journey, it dawned on me that because the hood was up and the dog had his head look over my shoulder the driver must of thought i was carrying a baby!! Maybe vets should have a list of people with transport who would be willing to take people without transport to the vets for the cost of the fuel, i for one would be willing to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pleepsie Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 I know someone who has asthma, and both dogs and cats trigger an attack. I do not think that any animal (guide dogs excepted) should be allowed on public transport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 A couple of posters have mentioned allergies as a reason why dogs/cats shouldn't be allowed on buses. Whilst I can sympathise to a degree (My own son being asthmatic but being near horses had an even greater effect on his asthma than a cat/dog), many people are also allergic to perfumes and these too can trigger off attacks. Not only that, the single decker buses aren't exactly small, are ventilated and I doubt whether every passenger would have an allergy to dogs/cats. Perish the thought, many people are allergic to wasps yet they manage to travel on the buses! Someone else said a long list of reasons - how about naming said long list? Apparently one bus company cited cleaning as a reason to the powers that be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 A couple of posters have mentioned allergies as a reason why dogs/cats shouldn't be allowed on buses. Whilst I can sympathise to a degree (My own son being asthmatic but being near horses had an even greater effect on his asthma than a cat/dog), many people are also allergic to perfumes and these too can trigger off attacks. I hate the smell of cigarette smoke and detest someone sitting next to me on the bus when they have been smoking right up to the moment before they get on the bus. The smell of the smoke oozing from them and their clothes makes me feel ill. I certainly prefer the smell of a nice perfume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 how about naming said long list?I can't Shetland is a small place and I'd rather not offend, as individuals would be easily identifiable, to those who have been here for any length of time. As I also posted you can phone before hand. I have yet to hear of 1 person being refused passage for a HOUSEHOLD PET to the vets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 I hate the smell of cigarette smoke and detest someone sitting next to me on the bus when they have been smoking right up to the moment before they get on the bus. The smell of the smoke oozing from them and their clothes makes me feel ill. I certainly prefer the smell of a nice perfume. I'm your polar opposite then, tobacco smoke to me is nectar, but any perfume makes my throat get tight, and I feel quite nauseous and very uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 how about naming said long list?I can't Shetland is a small place and I'd rather not offend, as individuals would be easily identifiable, to those who have been here for any length of time. As I also posted you can phone before hand. I have yet to hear of 1 person being refused passage for a HOUSEHOLD PET to the vets. Apologies, I may have misread - I thought you meant a long list of reasons as to why pets shouldn't be allowed on buses. Household vet (Edit: oops - should read pet not vet LOL - sorry, I'm full of cold right now) refused passage to the vets - well, I was. When I first moved here two years ago, I telephoned bus company to enquire how to get to Scalloway to the vets and asked about said fare for dogs as we needed to get them registered, plus one had allergies and other health issues (sadly now RIP). It was then it was explained to me that dogs weren't allowed on buses and it was after that call I spoke to Zetrans. So, you can now add two mutts to your list not allowed to vets on buses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyKipper Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 In a way I can understand their position on dogs - I suppose the owner can't guarantee a dog won't jump up at children, frighten people, or use the bus as a toilet - a sick dog especially. Not so pleasant when a dog has 'the runs', that is making its way down the bus That said, if you have a dog and you NEED to get him to the vet, what can you do? Even worse now the Lerwick vet is closed. I am not a dog hater by the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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