Pets will be allowed on all trains

[AmtrakBlue]

By law, service animals are already allowed on all trains. They are not in carriers, many are larger rather than smaller, the world as we know it has not come to an end. If proper rules are enforced, this will be a non issue. ​Let's see Amtrak get through a week without a rental freight engine pulling in a train before this is considered important.

I'm neutral about the pet policy.

As to service animals vs pets, legitimate service animals are well-trained, pets not necessarily so.

 

[PVD]

That's why I mentioned rule enforcement. They would have to stay in their carrier, under the seat. If people can't follow those rules throw them off. the train.

 

[Lonestar648]

If the rules are strictly enforced, I see no problem. On airlines, even long overseas flights, I have not found and issues and everyone follows the rules.

As far as odors, nail polish, strong cigarette smoke/odor, and some perfumes will trigger my asthma. Even my rescue inhaler doesn't always prevent an attack if the odors are very strong in an enclosed space.

 

[me_little_me]

If the rules are strictly enforced, I see no problem. On airlines, even long overseas flights, I have not found and issues and everyone follows the rules.

That's because anyone violating the rules finds out what happens when you get thrown out at 30,000 feet. :giggle:

 

[Ryan]

DESPITE ALL THE RAGE, IT'S STILL JUST A PET IN A CAGE.

 

[dlagrua]

My son Doug lives in NYC and visits us in NJ with his little Yorkie Mr Winston. New jersey Transit permits small pets in carriers, the trip goes smoothly but the train trip is only about 45 minutes. It goes well, but on a longer trip he would need to be walked and on LD trips the extended stops are limited.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

My main issue with passing a budget which forces Amtrak to accept pets is that Amtrak cars are full of already disgusting carpets that are rarely if ever replaced. Adding pet urine and pet feces to the carpet contaminants doesn’t sound very smart to me. Even with a pet carrier there are likely to be accidents and spills from time to time. Are these soon to be permanently soiled pet cars being segregated from non-pet cars are or all cars being cycled in and out of pet “duty?” My ears are not looking forward to untrained and poorly trained pets making a scene or a ruckus. Is Amtrak’s antiquated reservation system being updated to allow people who don’t want to be in the pet car an option to avoid it? Or is every passenger subject to the mercy of pet roulette?

 

[tonys96]

My main issue with passing a budget which forces Amtrak to accept pets is that Amtrak cars are full of already disgusting carpets that are rarely if ever replaced. Adding pet urine and pet feces to the carpet contaminants doesn’t sound very smart to me. Even with a pet carrier there are likely to be accidents and spills from time to time. Are these soon to be permanently soiled pet cars being segregated from non-pet cars are or all cars being cycled in and out of pet “duty?” My ears are not looking forward to untrained and poorly trained pets making a scene or a ruckus. Is Amtrak’s antiquated reservation system being updated to allow people who don’t want to be in the pet car an option to avoid it? Or is every passenger subject to the mercy of pet roulette?

That is the $64,000 question.

 

[BoulderCO]

Yes, the possible aggravations boggle the mind. As Devil's Advocate correctly points out the carpets are already quite disgusting. And some folks in the lounge car sleep on them.

Does the guy in coach 4 rows away talking on his phone at midnight keep you awake? What it if were a barking dog? Or, better yet, two dogs in separate cages in different parts of the car barking at each other?

The stops on LD trains are rare and short. And most of them have no provision for a dog to do his/her "business" within walking distance, given only perhaps 5 minutes before the train leaves. If the dog can't do it there "on demand" and has an accident later on the train, I would imagine the odor would "linger" for quite some time. Just what you need before your trip to the dining car.

Just because it works for a 2 hour airline flight doesn't make it right for long-distance trains.

 

[jis]

Actually it works fine even on 15 hour nonstop airline flights, But don't let facts confuse one self when one is on a roll.

 

[Carolina Special]

My next door neighbor has a little sheep dog that barks at me continually when I mow the back yard. This has been going on for 15 years: we're now on dog #2.

I can handle the yapping while I'm mowing. Having that dog across the aisle from me on the train for an extended period? That trip had better be heavily discounted for me to be willing to pay for it.

Another thought: what are the rules for bringing pets to congressional hearings?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Actually it works fine even on 15 hour nonstop airline flights, But don't let facts confuse one self when one is on a roll. ;P

If we're going to focus on facts we should probably point out that international pet travel across oceans is exceedingly rare, prohibitively expensive, and heavily regulated.

With few exceptions in most cases it's extremely tedious and time consuming to ship and process animals door to door across oceans. Much if not most intercontinental animal transportation occurs in the cargo hold, which would most closely equate to the baggage car on Amtrak rather than intruding into the passenger cars as currently envisioned. Amtrak also differs from airline pet travel in other ways.

The route duration of an Amtrak train vastly exceeds the longest nonstop flight, the carpeting on Amtrak is much thicker and more sponge like while the cleaning is far less involved and less frequent, and the staff often struggles to manage even the smoothest and least eventful of runs without having to address and resolve any pet related adversity. There's also the matter of having a special interest service forced on your organization that neither the line staff nor the management fully supports or believes in.

If I understand the situation correctly the budget directive as currently written may not even provide Amtrak with the power to limit or restrict pets based on size, weight, odor, or behavior. Concern over the potential for trouble and confrontation with this unilateral development seems entirely legitimate and rational to me.

 

[Sauve850]

Ive been on lots of trains. I know a lot of dogs that would be more behaved than a lot of passengers Ive been around

 

[tonys96]

Actually it works fine even on 15 hour nonstop airline flights, But don't let facts confuse one self when one is on a roll.

Are you saying that dogs/cats generally go for 15 hours on nonstop flights without "relieving themselves" in one way or another? Is that truly a fact?

 

[tonys96]

Ive been on lots of trains. I know a lot of dogs that would be more behaved than a lot of passengers Ive been around

True, this. However the passenger who pees or poops under the seat of a train is quite rare indeed!

 

[BCL]

Actually it works fine even on 15 hour nonstop airline flights, But don't let facts confuse one self when one is on a roll.

Are you saying that dogs/cats generally go for 15 hours on nonstop flights without "relieving themselves" in one way or another? Is that truly a fact?

They'll usually include a "pee pad" with a liquid/odor locking gel like those used in modern diapers.

 

[tonys96]

Actually it works fine even on 15 hour nonstop airline flights, But don't let facts confuse one self when one is on a roll.

Are you saying that dogs/cats generally go for 15 hours on nonstop flights without "relieving themselves" in one way or another? Is that truly a fact?

They'll usually include a "pee pad" with a liquid/odor locking gel like those used in modern diapers.

OH, I know the pads...my g/f uses them for her small dogs when she is not home.......however a good poop/pee by any of her little dogs (8 pounds. 11 pounds and 18 pounds) stinks up the entire apartment! The pads do a great job of protecting her wood floors though!

Also......are the pads mandatory in the new Amtrak policy?

 

[jis]

I dunno I was on a flight to Delhi that had a few pets in cabin. Maybe it is rare maybe it is not. The only fact I know is there were five of them and there was no problem. I am not claiming anything more than that. I cannot see how anyone can have a problem with a simple statement of this fact.

 

[tonys96]

I dunno I was on a flight to Delhi that had a few pets in cabin. Maybe it is rare maybe it is not. The only fact I know is there were five of them and there was no problem. I am not claiming anything more than that. I cannot see how anyone can have a problem with a simple statement of this fact.

I have absolutely no problem with your simple statement of fact! That you were on a flight to Delhi with five little pets in the cabin and that they posed no problem TO YOU. However, I do have a problem if you are claiming this was not a problem for anyone else, unless you checked with all of the other pax. There could have easily been some who had a problem with it, who chose to "grin and bear it" due to them having absolutely no control over it.

That is what it looks like will be a possibility on Amtrak...........the terms of service say you are purchasing transport from point A to point B, nowhere does it say it must be enjoyable.

 

[jebr]

I also have rarely seen or heard of any issues (even online after-the-fact) of people complaining about pets on their flight. Granted, I'm not exactly seeking them out, but if it was an issue for most passengers people would be complaining and it probably would be something that wouldn't be allowed.

Furthermore, the tests that I've heard of on the Amtrak pet trials have resulted in very few to no complaints. Due diligence is required, but assuming that it will be the source of tons of complaints and almost assuredly cause a lot of issues is, frankly, an assumption too quickly gotten to.

 

[jis]

I dunno I was on a flight to Delhi that had a few pets in cabin. Maybe it is rare maybe it is not. The only fact I know is there were five of them and there was no problem. I am not claiming anything more than that. I cannot see how anyone can have a problem with a simple statement of this fact.

I have absolutely no problem with your simple statement of fact! That you were on a flight to Delhi with five little pets in the cabin and that they posed no problem TO YOU. However, I do have a problem if you are claiming this was not a problem for anyone else, unless you checked with all of the other pax. There could have easily been some who had a problem with it, who chose to "grin and bear it" due to them having absolutely no control over it.
That is what it looks like will be a possibility on Amtrak...........the terms of service say you are purchasing transport from point A to point B, nowhere does it say it must be enjoyable.

Since we are talking pure hypotheticals now, it is also entirely possible that no one had any problems? After all you don't even know which flight I was on let alone polling the passengers on it to find out what their hidden state of mind was
Besides the original reason I talked about 15 hour flight was because someone claimed that pets were carried on only two hour long flights and were therefore irrelevant in a discussion about pets on Amtrak under the proposed rules. It was just a counter example to falsify a broad brush statement.

 

[tonys96]

I dunno I was on a flight to Delhi that had a few pets in cabin. Maybe it is rare maybe it is not. The only fact I know is there were five of them and there was no problem. I am not claiming anything more than that. I cannot see how anyone can have a problem with a simple statement of this fact.

I have absolutely no problem with your simple statement of fact! That you were on a flight to Delhi with five little pets in the cabin and that they posed no problem TO YOU. However, I do have a problem if you are claiming this was not a problem for anyone else, unless you checked with all of the other pax. There could have easily been some who had a problem with it, who chose to "grin and bear it" due to them having absolutely no control over it.
That is what it looks like will be a possibility on Amtrak...........the terms of service say you are purchasing transport from point A to point B, nowhere does it say it must be enjoyable.

Since we are talking pure hypotheticals now, it is also entirely possible that no one had any problems? After all you don't even know which flight I was on let alone polling the passengers on it to find out what their hidden state of mind was
Besides the original reason I talked about 15 hour flight was because someone claimed that pets were carried on only two hour long flights and were therefore irrelevant in a discussion about pets on Amtrak under the proposed rules. It was just a counter example to falsify a broad brush statement.

Sure, it is possible that everyone on your flight was fine with the five animals! Abso-lutely! And, since you believe that to be the case, I will bet you a nickle that there was very little to no yelping, stinky pooping or whining from these animals. I'll bet another nickle that if there were any of these, that there would likely have been some or many complaints. It is all the luck of the draw......and a paying passenger has no control over that draw..........UNLESS said passenger gets the option of not being in the pet car, should they so choose.....then it is a moot point.......

 

[neroden]

It's extremely likely that everyone on the flight was fine with five animals.

By contrast, it's very likely that someone was bothered by a human's perfume (no regulation whatsoever) or odor of smoke on their clothes (no regulation whatsoever). It's almost certain that someone was bothered by loud talking (which is why Amtrak has quiet cars). Really, there are so many things which are more likely to cause trouble than pets... and Amtrak can charge extra for pets. Amtrak can't charge extra for talking loudly.

 

[Seaboard92]

As long as we're talking about making the airlines uncomfortable that person in the seat in front of you who reclines. Even if they are in the exit row they do. I never recline my seat. But back to the real subject I've never had an issue on Luftansa and while talking with flight attendants I was surprised to learn we had five animals in the cabin. And four horses in the baggage area.

 

[Shanghai]

When we lived in Europe, I would bring our dog, an eleven pound Coton, with me in her proper carrier to New Jersey.

I would take her outside just before clearing immigration prior to boarding. We would take up her water five hours

before going to the airport. During the flight, I would let her lick on ice occasionally. During the night, I would let her

get on my lap, under my blanket, and sleep for a few hours. As soon as we arrived I would immediately take her

outside. We made 8 trips across the ocean without an incident or complaint. I would always tell the flight attendant

that I had the dog and also the person sitting next to me. The flight attendant would remind me that I must keep the

dog in the carrier at all times, except when all of the attendants wanted to see and pet her! I traveled in Business Class

and had adequate space for both of us.

Most of my train travels are overnight and it is highly unlikely that I would take Archie on a trip of that duration.

I would not mind having a well behaved pet traveling with me on a train.