Animals on AMTRAK

[AmtrakBlue]

Corky is a cute name. What kind of dog is he?

I will guess a Pug (see her avatar).

 

[amamba]

Corky is a cute name. What kind of dog is he?

You can't tell from my avatar?

He is a pug. I'm a crazy pug lady, in addition to a crazy train lady.

 

[pennyk]

My sister has 2 pugs - she certainly is a crazy pug lady. Loves pugs much more than trains.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I never have been able to figure out why people have to take dogs or cats along when they travel. If Amtrak does start taking on Animals they need to have Waivers so if Puss or Bowser dies en route, Amtrak is not liable.

 

[SarahZ]

Ha! I've seen your avatar a million times. Oops.

We love pugs too. I keep telling Brent I want to get one if/when we have a place with a yard.

 

[Guest]

I never have been able to figure out why people have to take dogs or cats along when they travel. If Amtrak does start taking on Animals they need to have Waivers so if Puss or Bowser dies en route, Amtrak is not liable.

Seriously, ever heard of someone going somewhere else for an entire summer? Or *moving*? Or, hell, *adopting a pet* from someone else? There are plenty of reasons why people take dogs or cats along when they travel, even if you don't think people should take pets on day trips. I can think of multiple examples, actually, of "permanent move" style trips which *would have been* on the train except that there was simply no way to transport the pet. Result: rental car.

 

[Ted Bell]

No! This is so cruel to animals. And cruel to people with allergies. Why do people with pets want to force them on the rest of us? How can the animal possibly be comfortable confined in a cage for up to 12 hours? Why would someone want to do that to an animal that they supposedly love?

 

[SarahZ]

I'm allergic to perfume, to the point of serious asthma attacks, but they still let sorority girls and cougars on the train.

 

[amamba]

No! This is so cruel to animals. And cruel to people with allergies. Why do people with pets want to force them on the rest of us? How can the animal possibly be comfortable confined in a cage for up to 12 hours? Why would someone want to do that to an animal that they supposedly love?

Do you ever fly? People fly with pets in the cabin all.the.time.

Personally I wouldn't take my dog on a 12 hour trip. But I still have yet to hear of an argument of "cruelty" that would prevent me from bringing my sleeping pug on board a NEC regional for a four hour trip.

Again, people travel and go places with their pets. When I travel for Thanksgiving to visit my family, I am gone for a week. I can either a) bring my dog with me, so that he is in the car for five hours (or a train for four hours) or leave him in a cage - in a kennel - for a week. I am pretty sure that he would prefer sitting in the car (or in a train) for hours versus a a kennel for a week.

 

[Ted Bell]

I've only visited and used the services of a few kennels. Not for me (I'm not a fan of owning another living creature), but for my mother who owns a cat. I saw them walking the dogs, letting them run and play, and interacting with them. I can't see how that was a bad thing compared to being locked in a cage for hours on a train.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Mr. Gato would not like riding on Amtrak since the constant motion would probably make him very ill. I do know of friends who have cats that like to take rides in cars. but not sure how they would fare on a train ride.

We would not leave Gato in a kennel either and have been fortunate to have a young woman and friend take care of him in our home for the twelve years of his life he has spent with us. Now that he is older, we limit our Amtrak trips to a week or so in duration. Yes, it is sometimes a hassle, but we chose to be his owners and the responsibility that comes with taking care of a pet.

I agree that one should not impose our pets on those who do not wish to spend time on a train with them. Allergies, etc. being the main reason for my concern for others.

Not being a dog owner, I suppose they are much more comfortable riding in cars and perhaps trains as well. But I still see a problem in having an animal on a passenger coach or sleeper. And cannot imagine putting my animal in a baggage car for any amount of time. Just my opinion for what it is worth..

 

[Ted Bell]

Thank you for your input Mr. Railroad Bill. I appreciate that you respect those of us who choose to travel without a four-legged friend, and that you also respect the animal you have chosen to own.

 

[chakk]

Shoot! My dog died a few days ago. It makes me more sad to think that I could have taken a train trip with him if he would have lived a little while longer. But seriously though, where is a dog supposed go poop.

In the kennel. And on my last flight across the pond, there was a dog onboard for the 9 hour plus flight, and I noticed the owner "wiping out" the inside of the kennel while standing in line for US Customs upon arrival.

 

[SarahZ]

They make special pads for kennels and carriers that absorb wetness and odor. The solids are easy enough to clean out and properly dispose of in the restroom, and then the pads can be put into a plastic bag until you can get to a washing machine (or just toss them, depending on whether they are disposable or reusable).

Think of it like using diapers for a baby. There are disposable and cloth versions. Either way, the "parent" is responsible for disposing of the mess and keeping everything clean.

If I had to bring my cats for some reason and one of them created an odor, I'd bring the offending crate (with them in it, of course) down to the restroom, do a quick wash and change of the crate, and then put them back in. When we put the cats in their carriers to go to the vet and such, we put them in a harness and attach a leash to it. That way, when they go in and out of the crate, we have a firm hold of them at all times. So, even though we'd be locked in a bathroom, I'd still have them on their leash and ready to go back into the crate.

I don't plan to bring the cats on the train since we have no need for them to travel with us, but it's nice to know it might be an option if we ever move out of state. I'd much rather bring them on the train than stick them in the car. The train is a much safer method of travel, and the environment wouldn't be as scary.

 

[debmep]

We had a service dog in our car the last trip we took. I noticed the beautiful golden retriever already in the Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago. It appeared to be a father/daughter travelling together. The daughter

appeared to have M.S. but was able to walk, altho quite unsteady. They were pre boarded before the group stroll out to the SWC. It so happened that we were in the same car. The family was in the lower

handicapped room and we were in a upper roomette. Many times we noticed the father taking the dog out for a quick potty break at the stops in route. Our SCA was kept busy with delivering meals down to them.

I never saw them up on our level. Their destination was Albuquerque, the same as ours was. The dog was always well behaved, from what I saw. It relieved itself on command, like a well trained service dog should.

 

[Big Iron]

I'm allergic to perfume, to the point of serious asthma attacks, but they still let sorority girls and cougars on the train.

While I like sorority girls and cougars, they can stow the perfume too. It gives me a raging headache.

 

[me_little_me]

I can either a) bring my dog with me, so that he is in the car for five hours (or a train for four hours) or leave him in a cage - in a kennel - for a week. I am pretty sure that he would prefer sitting in the car (or in a train) for hours versus a a kennel for a week.

Or you can ask a neighbor or friend to look in on or walk your pet at your house (as my son does).

Or you can pay a neighborhood kid to do the same (we did that a few times).

Or you can pay a professional pet sitter to come and take care of your pet daily at your house or keep it at their house (as we did twice).

And of course, you can check on the reliability of the neighborhood kid by having them do it for a day even when you are not really going anywhere and "unexpectedly" return early. As to a pet service, you can check on their references or visit their home ahead of time.

 

[SarahZ]

Or her dog prefers to be with her and likes traveling, so this really isn't a big deal. I trust Amamba to know what's best for Corky.

 

[rrdude]

I will not take my Archie on a train trip over two hours. It is not fair to

animals to keep them caged any longer without the ability to walk,

stretch or run not to mention bathroom facilities.

:hi: Looks like you Nailed the Perfect Perspective Dick! Caging up Animals for Long Periods is Cruel and Anyone who says Differently Doesn't Know What They're Talking About! (This from Someone who Loves Dogs but Doesn't want to have them Riding in Train Cars with Passengers!)

Me thinks Mr. Hudson has gone overboard by using the word "cruel". Uncomfortable, MAYBE, but not even close to "cruel"..

 

[rrdude]

No! This is so cruel to animals. And cruel to people with allergies. Why do people with pets want to force them on the rest of us? How can the animal possibly be comfortable confined in a cage for up to 12 hours? Why would someone want to do that to an animal that they supposedly love?

Again, "Uncomfortable" would be the harshest term I could imagine, but in no way "cruel".

 

[Snoopy.]

No! This is so cruel to animals. And cruel to people with allergies. Why do people with pets want to force them on the rest of us? How can the animal possibly be comfortable confined in a cage for up to 12 hours? Why would someone want to do that to an animal that they supposedly love?

Well, dogs are den animals. If the cage is their normal daily den, they like being in there. The dog will just sleep and wait. As long as theirs needs are regularly and periodically met (water, food, "bathroom"), they will be happy.

Though, while sleeping, they might dream of being up in the locomotive, with their head out the cab's window.

 

[amamba]

I've only visited and used the services of a few kennels. Not for me (I'm not a fan of owning another living creature), but for my mother who owns a cat. I saw them walking the dogs, letting them run and play, and interacting with them. I can't see how that was a bad thing compared to being locked in a cage for hours on a train.

Because in the kennel the dog is locked in a cage for hours a day. So four hours a train vs. a week in a kennel - which has more cage time? The kennel.

 

[amamba]

Or her dog prefers to be with her and likes traveling, so this really isn't a big deal. I trust Amamba to know what's best for Corky.

Thank you Sarah.

I completely agree that taking pets on a LD trip isn't feasible.

But I respectfully disagree with those that suggest it isn't feasible to take a small dog or a cat (or other small pet) on a 3-4 hour trip down the NEC. It really isn't different than what people already do on planes.

For those that do want to know, I would never leave my dog in a kennel because he has special needs. My pug is 11 years old, blind, and suffers from anxiety. I adopted him when he was 6 and I spend hours each month volunteering with the Pug Rescue of New England. When I go out of town, my dog stays with the dog walker which is $55/night or sometimes he stays with my in-laws.

My dog is my baby since I don't have a baby.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I will not take my Archie on a train trip over two hours. It is not fair to

animals to keep them caged any longer without the ability to walk,

stretch or run not to mention bathroom facilities.

:hi: Looks like you Nailed the Perfect Perspective Dick! Caging up Animals for Long Periods is Cruel and Anyone who says Differently Doesn't Know What They're Talking About! (This from Someone who Loves Dogs but Doesn't want to have them Riding in Train Cars with Passengers!)

Me thinks Mr. Hudson has gone overboard by using the word "cruel". Uncomfortable, MAYBE, but not even close to "cruel"..

We'll just have to Agree to Disagree on this one! No Animal or Human (except for Physco Monsters like Child Molesters/Serial Killers/Rapists etc.) should be Locked up in a Cage! (I can hear Bob Dylan singing "If Dogs Run Free" in the Background!)

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Good on you amamba, you sound like a kind person! Bet you're interesting to talk with on a Train!