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Pets on Buses


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Public transport is meant to be just that - public - or are cat/dog/guinea pig owners not regarded as members of the public?

 

I expect the owners would be more than welcome to use the public transport system without the cat, dog or guinea pig in tow. Animals are not members of the public and should therefore, in my opinion, be excluded from public transport. Would you be happy to see chickens, sheep and perhaps the occasional ox aboard the airport service?

 

People should consider their ability to properly provide for their pets needs before becoming pet owners. If they are not able to take the animal to the vet in an emergency it is they who are to blame not the transport company.

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Public transport is meant to be just that - public - or are cat/dog/guinea pig owners not regarded as members of the public?

 

I expect the owners would be more than welcome to use the public transport system without the cat, dog or guinea pig in tow. Animals are not members of the public and should therefore, in my opinion, be excluded from public transport. Would you be happy to see chickens, sheep and perhaps the occasional ox aboard the airport service?

 

People should consider their ability to properly provide for their pets needs before becoming pet owners. If they are not able to take the animal to the vet in an emergency it is they who are to blame not the transport company.

 

Fair point but would you rather people who moved to Shetland dumped their animals onto animal welfare charities for rehoming rather than take the view that you are a pet owner for the duration of the life of the pet? Where do you draw the line? As for taking an ox onboard the airport service; I wasn't aware that an ox (And for that matter, the other non-domesticated animals you referred to) being classed as a family pet. That said, you can transport animals on air planes, trains - so why not buses in Shetland?

 

It is the norm in the rest of the UK to take dogs/cats/goldfish/guinea pigs onboard public transport. Indeed, when I spoke to Zetrans, they were of the opinion that PETS should be allowed on public transport and advised that one of the bus companies in Shetland does permit this (think it was the company that covers part of North Shetland?). It is apparently, something they often raise annually with said bus companies.

 

Oh, and I've seen chickens on buses in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire so personally, I wouldn't give a flying sausage if I saw a chicken on a bus up here. I've even seen a snake on a bus although hasten to add this did put the shivers up the old spine a tad!

 

Edit: And whilst I don't reside in Lerwick, there may be several people who previously met your criteria (in other words, they walked to the Lerwick's vets) but now find themselves with no way of transporting their pets to the vets in Scalloway - so should all non-driving Lerwick pet owners put their animals up for adoption?

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Would you be happy to see chickens, sheep and perhaps the occasional ox aboard the airport service?

 

Definitely yes!

 

Also the cars of pet owners might need to be serviced from time to time and an emergency visit at the vet cannot be planned in advance.

So what's the problem sitting beside a chicken? They don't bite...

 

I had to travel with the bus to the vet once (near Munich/Germany) with one of our pygmy goats (when my car got the MOT done) and people were delighted. Everybody wanted to pet him.

Of course our goat is well trained and does behave perfectly in all situations

:wink:

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couldn't the vets have a register, where people from any area with transport who would be willing to transport people and pets to and from vets for the cost of the fuel? as an animal lover i for one would be more than happy to take someone to the vets . i couldnt bear the thought of some poor animal suffering as indeed the owner would be all because they couldnt travel to the vets!!

 

as for dogs jumping up and scaring children......... some of said children can be quite scarey too!!!! :lol: :wink: (joke by the way before some ones mum starts having kittens!!!)

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On the British Mainland you are more than welcome to take your dog, cat etc on the bus. Or even by train.

What is the problem with this in Shetland?

Not everyone has a car and the current Veterinary Practices are at Scalloway and Bixter.

A bit out of reach for some.

Bixter is a nightmare to get to at anytime regardless of a bus.

Without a car you need to rely on friends or family to get you there.

Sometimes that is not possible. Especially in an emergency.

Would be brilliant if Jim could set up a practice in Lerwick?

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I am glad they are banned. Who wants to be bitten by a dog on a bus.

 

Wow! You can predict the future! You probably stand more chance of being run over by a bus than being beaten by a dog!

 

Tolerance, I reckon, is what is required. Okay, so some people don't like dogs - that I can understand. In fact, I can "tolerate" such a view. However, what I am having difficulty in tolerating is a bus company that has being asked on numerous occasions to allow pets on buses but has refused, and the powers that be not putting their foot down and insisting that said contract be amended to permit pets on buses. Is this the only place in the UK where those holding the purse strings are dictated to by the contractors? Bet they would soon change their minds if the contract did go elsewhere.

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I am glad they are banned. Who wants to be bitten by a dog on a bus.
Been using buses all my life and have yet to get bitten nor have I ever seen anyone being bitten. People with pets do from time to time need to get them from a to b and if the distance is greater than can be walked then public transport is the only option for some people without their own transport.
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I know folk who have been bitten after the owner has said "dunna worry he wont bite you", also what about people who are scared of dogs, I know a few folk who have had bad experiances who are now petrified of dogs.

 

Simple - you don't like dogs or afraid of dogs, then don't sit near one on the bus. Years ago I had a bad experience with someone who was drunk - does that mean I should never venture into a pub again? Nope. That, however, doesn't mean to say that I don't appreciate that some people do have a fear of dogs and I wouldn't be encouraging the person to stroke one of my dogs.

 

As for he won't bite you; again, all you ever know is that a dog has not got a history of biting.

 

As I said, tolerance.

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I expect the owners would be more than welcome to use the public transport system without the cat, dog or guinea pig in tow. Animals are not members of the public and should therefore, in my opinion, be excluded from public transport. Would you be happy to see chickens, sheep and perhaps the occasional ox aboard the airport service?

 

People should consider their ability to properly provide for their pets needs before becoming pet owners. If they are not able to take the animal to the vet in an emergency it is they who are to blame not the transport company.

 

This is a bit odd JGHR - not many of us have chickens, sheep or an ox as pets!! And many, many people use public transport to take their cat, dog, guinea pig, hamster or budgie to the vet - in Edinburgh, that is - and it's not a problem for the driver or for other passengers. Why would it be such a problem in Shetland? Taking your pet to the vet IS properly providing for your pet, and having a car is not a prerequisite!

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The health aspect is something to think about, animals that are exposed to the hillsides could pick up parasites and the like. Many folk nowadays seem to have allergies that can be triggered by animal bits.Another would be the additional cleaning. Imagine going for an interview in your best black suit or skirt only to stand up and find it covered in hairs. Hairs carry eggs.

The definition of PET could be vague, Wiki lists some pets, such as horses, sheep, lamas, pigs, chickens, turkeys peafowl, ravens and crows. There are many more. Then there are the wild animals that a kept in captivity.

Due to the rural aspect of Shetland that is most celebrated here on these forums, I guess the bus companies do not want to start transporting herds of "pets" around.

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Well I have travelled on a bus with a chicken or a cockerel or something as a fellow passenger. OK so that was in Morocco but I did not have any problem about it.

 

As for shetlandpeat's comment about what the bus companies want to transport I would think that since the council pays the bills the council should be able to say something on the lines of "well behaved dogs and smaller pets in a suitable container may be conveyed at all times" and if the bus companies do not like it they are welcome to go south to compete with First Group and Stagecoach who do seem quite happy to carry pets.

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No one picked up my point about dog poop. Dogs, especially sick dogs can make a lot of poop. On a packed bus, that would not be fun. Imagine the complaints when the smell gets going, luggage pulled through it or when people have walked in it; and the bus driver has to clean where it has been walked up the bus... I reckon that is why they do not let dogs on the bus.

 

The pet hair is another good point, not all dog owners will leave their dogs on the floor.

 

Plus, even the best behaved dogs can have behave aggressively in strange situations, like on a bus, if they are frightened or if they are ill. The bus companies don't want to be sued.

 

For dogs I don't know the answer. :(

 

For small animals in a carrier there is no issue, they should be allowed - they cannot mess on the floor, and don't need separate space.

 

An outreach clinic in south mainland would be nice, appointments with advance notice, once a week. :D

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