The opposition wants to let dogs in the subway and the bus
Ensemble Montréal wants the City to adopt a by-law so that the STM authorizes dogs on a leash throughout the city. metro and bus network.
The opposition party, Ensemble Montréal, will table a motion at the next city council to ask the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and the City to allow dogs on a leash in the entire metro network and to ;bus in the next six months.
The objective, according to the opposition, is to facilitate the movement of animal owners who do not have a car.
“This by-law change would meet a need while allowing the STM to build customer loyalty,” said Aref Salem, Leader of the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall, today. At a time when we want to help citizens take public transit, it is counterproductive to have to own a car or take a taxi to get around with your dog.”
For Montreal to truly become an animal-friendly city, this is the next step to take.
Aref Salem, Leader of the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall
According to him, one in four Quebec households owns a dog. This motion would therefore make it easier for dog owners to travel to green spaces, dog parks and veterinary clinics since they could use the metro or the bus rather than the car.
A petition launched by the SPCA
This announcement echoes the petition launched by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) last December.
This petition asks the City to allow dogs on a leash on public transport. To date, it has been signed by nearly 16,500 people.
On its social networks, the SPCA welcomed the announcement made by the opposition. She expressed confidence that the motion will pass soon.
Assessment underway at the STM
The STM explained that it had already assessed the feasibility of such a project since the last municipal elections. She explains that she will study the matter in the coming weeks and make an appropriate decision.
City councilor for the district of Bordeaux-Cartierville, Effie Giannou, seconded this motion citing other metropolises.
“Experiences in other large cities that allow dogs on a leash on public transport, such as Amsterdam, London or, closer to home, Toronto, are rather positive”, did she say. “[A pilot project in Toronto] has shown that the presence of animals has no impact on the risk of bites or on the general satisfaction rate of users.”
To facilitate cohabitation, it has underlined the importance of deploying an awareness and communications campaign around this authorization.
