Should dogs be allowed on Montreal's buses and Metros? The city's opposition party thinks so

Spike is a good boy, according to his owner, Sasha Curtis.

He's even good enough to ride on a Montreal city bus or in the Metro, she said, and that would be pretty convenient because she doesn't own a car.

"I take cabs with him, so that would definitely make it a lot easier, more accessible for a lot of people," she said.

But not all dogs are cut out for riding in public transit, she admitted. 

"If your dog is pooping and peeing in public places, don't bring them into places like that," said Curtis.

Montreal's official opposition party thinks people are responsible enough to bring their leashed dogs on the city's buses and Metros, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM).

Ensemble Montréal is putting forward a motion that calls for a change to the rules.

"When you have a dog, it's like part of your family," said the party's interim leader, Aref Salem. "When you have a dog, you don't want to leave him at home."

Nearly 17,000 people signed a petition calling for the rule change, he said, and his party is answering the call.

Salem said it is counterproductive for people to take their car to visit a park with their dog.

"Sometimes the dog parks are not near the houses," said Salem, or people need to drive to the vet's.

If the city wants to be truly pet-friendly, it's time to take this step, he said. The first or last wagon on the Metro could be reserved for dogs — or other solutions are possible — but it's time to find those solutions, he said.

The petition can be found on SPCA Montreal's website.

"Many major cities, both in Canada and elsewhere, have already changed their policy on animals in public transit; it's time for Montreal to follow suit," the petition says.

"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."

Not everybody is on board

Right now, service dogs are OK to travel on transit with their owners, as are small animals that can be carried in cages or containers. Within the next six months, Ensemble Montréal wants any dog, on a leash, to be allowed on the entire STM network.

But Samantha Gold, who has spinal problems, said she already has issues with dogs in carriers or strollers taking up reserved seating — seating she needs to ride the bus without pain.

She worries more dogs on board will make the situation worse "and that offends me," she said.

"That says that my life is worth less than a dog's and that my health is worth less than a dog's," she said.

Gold said she may end up relying on family and friends for car rides rather than taking public transit — if there are dogs.

In a statement, the bus drivers' union said members have concerns, but it is too soon to weigh in without the STM taking a stance on the matter.

The STM said in a statement that it has done studies on letting dogs ride along, and it is creating recommendations from a pilot project. Until then, the statement said, it's too early to say much more about the subject.

"The STM's customer service committee and board of directors will study this matter over the next few weeks and make the appropriate decision," said spokesperson Amélie Régis in an email.

A spokesperson for Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the administration knows this is both desired by many people and worrisome for others.

The administration's main concern is making the population fully aware of the terms of the pilot project, the spokesperson said.