Montreal, March 11, 2025 – The Montreal SPCA launches its Fido on the bus campaign today, and invites the public to join it in urging Mayor Valérie Plante, Société de transport de Montréal (STM) Chairman Éric Alan Caldwell and the leadership candidates of Montreal’s main political parties to allow dogs on the STM bus network.

In response to the broad support we received from Montrealers during our Fido in the Metro campaign, which garnered nearly 18,000 signatures, the STM set up a pilot project in 2022 to allow dogs in the metro. Last December, the STM officially authorized dogs to ride in the metro, much to the relief of Montreal families living with dogs.

“However, access to the metro solves only part of the problem,” states Sophie Gaillard, Director of Animal Advocacy and Legal and Government Affairs at the Montreal SPCA. “Given that a significant proportion of the Montreal population lives a good distance from a metro station, it is imperative that dogs be granted access to the STM bus network.”

A win for everyone

Banning dogs from buses restricts their access not only to large parks and green spaces, but also to veterinary care, which could compromise their health and welfare. This disproportionately affects low-income earners, and hinders individuals in need’s access to community programs that could benefit their animal, such as the Montreal SPCA’s low-cost sterilization clinic and pet food bank.

Allowing dogs to ride on buses would also give them more opportunities for exercise and socialization, thus reducing their risk of developing undesirable behaviours. By contributing to the creation of a more socialized, well-adjusted and better trained dog population, such a measure would also promote public safety.

Lastly, this measure would encourage the use of public transit instead of cars, thus supporting the environmental objectives of the City of Montreal.

A successful experiment in the metro

The STM’s pilot project in the metro, which ran from 2022 to 2024, proved that harmonious cohabitation between dogs and public transit users is possible. Over the two-year span of the project, the STM did not document a single dog bite case, nor any substantiated complaints of soiling or damage caused by dogs. According to a survey conducted by the STM in September 2023, 70% of transit users were in favour of allowing dogs in the metro.

An international trend

Several major cities around the world, including Calgary, Toronto, Copenhagen, London, Boston, Lyon, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome and Helsinki, already allow dogs on their bus networks.

“We invite Montrealers to show their support so that their city can be added to this list,” concludes Ms. Gaillard. “It could even set a precedent for other cities in Quebec. At the Montreal SPCA, we consider animals to be full-fledged members of our communities, and this is why our organization considers dogs’ access to public transit a priority issue.”

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Source: Montreal SPCA www.spca.com/en/

Media information:

Tök communications 514-247-0526

Marie-Hélène Avon, mariehelene@tokcommunications.ca

About the Montreal SPCA

Founded in Montreal in 1869, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (now known simply as the Montreal SPCA) was the first animal welfare organization in Canada. The SPCA has come a long way since: it is now the largest animal welfare organization in Quebec and speaks on behalf of animals wherever they face ignorance, cruelty, exploitation or neglect.