17,806 people have already taken action.
Goal to reach : 15000
The STM announced a pilot project to allow leashed dogs in its metro system starting October 15!
Thank you to everyone who signed our petition asking Mayor Valérie Plante and the new chairman of the board of directors of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), Eric Alan Caldwell, to allow dogs on a leash in Montréal’s public transit system. Find out more here.
Access to public transit for people with companion animals is a priority issue for the Montreal SPCA.
Please sign our petition asking Mayor Valérie Plante and the new chairman of the board of directors of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), Eric Alan Caldwell, to allow dogs on leash in Montréal’s public transit system. Many major cities, both in Canada and elsewhere, have already changed their policy on animals in public transit; it’s time for Montréal to follow suit. The use of public transportation is being pushed now more than ever, but its access should be modernized to accommodate all users, including people with dogs.
“The current ban severely restricts access to large parks,
but also to veterinary care. And it disproportionately affects low-income people
and those who choose not to use a car.”
– Sophie Gaillard, Director of Legal Affairs, Montreal SPCA
Modernizing, like in
other large cities
Except for service dogs, only dogs small enough to travel in a carrier or bag are currently allowed on Montréal public transportation.
However, leashed dogs are welcome on public transportation in many major cities, including Paris, London, Berlin, Barcelona and San Francisco. This is also the case in large Canadian cities such as Calgary and Toronto.
Accomodating everyone
- The Montreal SPCA believes it’s possible to accommodate all public transit users, with and without dogs, for example, by putting in place certain rules :
- In Toronto, leashed dogs are only allowed on public transit during off-peak hours when traffic is less
- In Madrid, leashed dogs may only board the last subway car.
- Montréal could therefore draw inspiration from the rules adopted elsewhere in developing a policy that would give dogs access to public transit and ensure the peace of all users.
- A study conducted following a pilot project in Toronto’s public transit system found that the presence of leashed dogs neither impacted overall rider satisfaction nor increased the risk of incidents.
- A Finnish study on allergens and animals in public transit concluded that the presence of allergens could primarily be attributed to users’ clothing and not to the presence of the animals themselves.
- Allowing people to travel with their companion animals on public transit could foster better socialization in dogs in general and consequently reduce their likelihood of developing undesirable behaviours.
Facilitating access to veterinary care
Prohibiting dogs on public transportation severely restricts their access to large parks and other green spaces, but also to veterinary care.
It disproportionately affects animal guardians who do not have a car for financial or environmental reasons.
It also prevents many people and their animals from benefitting from community programs, such as the Montreal SPCA’s low-cost spay/neuter clinic.
Furthermore, the current policy contributes to climate change, as it forces the use of cars when policies should instead be discouraging driving.
Want to get more involved?
Show your support for this movement on social media. If you take a photo of your dog in front of a metro station or bus stop and share it on social media, tag the Montreal SPCA and use our hashtag #Fidodanslemetro.
