CTA Tattler

I spotted a puppy on the Orange Line on Christmas Eve. A guy was in the first car from the Loop all the way to Midway Station with a puppy. He stood the entire time, with the puppy cradled in his arms. It was a present for his partner.

Neither the conductor nor the passengers conveyed disapproval. People only commented on how cute it was or smiled at the pup.

I see pets in carriers on the Red Line all the time, exactly for those vet visitations. I don't think the CTA would honestly be against it if the animal is in a standard and secured cage. They have to get those carriers through the turnstyles and never did I see an agent comment on it.

(I await the snarky comment about the policy of children aboard, i.e. 'if people can bring their rowdy children aboard, why can't I bring my pet llama.')

As long as they don't drop a deuce on the train I think they make the trip a little less redundant.

I take my cats to the vet via the train. I specifically checked with the people working at my stop to see if pets were allowed and I was told that it's OK as long as they're in a carrier. But I like seeing the animals on board. They're fun and cute and great conversation pieces.

I remember I looked into it once because i wanted to to take my cat to a vet and the fastest was was via the el. They allow small pets as long as they're in the carriers.

Sure! Securitas brings thier pet german shepards on the L all of the time!

During the Taste of Chicago about 6-7 years back, I saw--as I was exiting the Brown Line at Adams--a man exiting the adjacent train car with an IGUANA perched on his shoulder, I kid you not! I guess it was on a leash, but this sucker was at least 12-15 inches long. I remember thinking that I would have run screaming from the train had I been in the same car as he.

Yes I think iguanas and snakes would make it more of a scary ride than anything....llamas too!

I've seen snakes on the train.

Oh come on, someone had to say it.

When you think about it- and i mean, really think- all the arguments for barring pets from the train apply to PEOPLE as well (not just kids either)

Loud: check
Smelly: check
Dirty: check
Uncontrollable: check
Skittish: check
Violent: check (although rare in both cases)
Rude: check times two
Perform bodily functions on the floor: check (and people KNOW better)

Then there are a bunch of things People do that pets can't! like...
gamble, smoke, drink, litter, grafitti, harass customers, etc etc etc

I guess what I'm saying is: allow pets, ban people!

I would love to be able to bring my dog on the train (he's far too large for a carrier and I couldn't carry him anyway). It would allow us to explore so many other areas of the city.

He's housebroken, is a lot better behaved and has far superior grooming habits than many of the people I ride the train with daily.

Ha Cheryl--that one's up for an Oscar.

One time on the Orange Line, some woman had this little tiny dog in a carrier. All was well for about three stops after she got on. Then there was this foul odor, obviously emanating from the cage. This little dog, very cute by the way, had used the bathroom. So the woman picks up the carrier, tips it vertically to look inside, and gets off at the next stop.

I'm okay with animals on the train, but mishaps like this are quite unpleasant.

Last summer, I boarded a Blue line train at Rosemont. At Harlem, a lone dog boarded the train. A few people made comments, but the dog just sat there until he got off at Damen. Not sure what happened after.

ha ha... Doggone... I laughed soooooo hard at that one. I think that's the best story this year. Well, maybe he needed to go to the vet... you know dogs need to go places, too :)

hey pets are allowed all the time!!! The blind people let their dogs on.. but what makes me cringe is when the bus gets crowded and the poor doggie's paws get stepped on by accident.. I've been seeing people move their seeing eye dogs all the way under the seat and that is a cool idea. Tell all your friends who have seeing eye dogs to stuff them underneath the seat that goes sideways and their paws wont get stepped on.

Both of my Pugs have been on the L from time to time. I checked with the CTA and as long as they are in a carrier it is ok.

I would like to bring a mule on the EL.
That way, I can train it the route I need to use, and then ride it instead of the train...

Back in the streetcar days and into the early 60's there was "Chicken Man".
An elderly black guy that carried a rooster with him everywhere on the CTA.
He always sat behind the motorman or the bus driver.

Doggone, No one ever believes me when I tell them this story but once, when I was in Paris I walking past a Metro entrance that people were coming out of and all of a sudden out runs this German Sheperd who then proceeds to go right into a barber shop and jump up on the chair. It looked for all the world as if he had rode across town by himself to get haircut. Everybody on the street burst out laughing at the same time. It was awesome.

renee,

please do tell more about chicken man...
do we know how old he was in the 60s?
Is it possible he is still around?

I forget which Daniel Pinkwater book the Chicken Man is mentioned in. Perhaps the Hoboken Chicken Emergency, but I really don't remember. Does anyone know?

I saw a woman with a dog in her purse on the bus this morning.

In Boston dogs are allowed without a carrier if they are on leash. I think Boston realizes that people wouldn't be able to get their pets to the vet or kennel or whatever if they couldn't go on the T because they have no other way of getting around. I think the same is true in Washington, DC. If you are going to encourage people to go carless, you need to allow them to go to the same places with the same cargo on the subway that they would otherwise put in their car. It isn't reasonable to expect large dogs to have carriers.

I live in chicago an I have to take my dog to the groomers today but I don't own a carrier. She's a small white malti-poodle an very quite. Is it okay to take her on the bus, holding her, with no carrier?

Technically, you should have a carrier. But if your dog doesn't make a scene you should be ok.