Can you bring your dogs on the Seattle streetcar?
Jan 27, 2016, 10:27 PM | Updated: May 7, 2016, 10:29 pm
The First Hill streetcar recently started making trial runs with free rides connecting Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood to SoDo. Excited riders waited in the rain last weekend to give the streetcar a try, along with one four-legged passenger.
Juno was reportedly the first dog on the First Hill streetcar. Obviously, service animals are allowed on all modes of Seattle public transportation, but what about regular pets?
For example, if I live on Capitol Hill and want to go to one of the Mariners upcoming “Bark In The Park” nights with my dog Brooklyn, can we just hop on the streetcar to Safeco?
“We follow the Metro guidelines for dogs on streetcars,” said Norm Mah with the Seattle Department of Transportation.
In other words — yes. Pets are allowed, but you have to pay a fee for a non-lap dog to follow the rules.
Dogs (pets) may ride on Metro and the streetcar at the discretion of the operator under these guidelines:
• Drivers may refuse to transport a dog if it is creating a hazard or disturbance.
• Drivers may request the removal of a dog from the coach if it creates a hazard or disturbance.
• All dogs that are not service animals must be on a leash.
• Dogs are not allowed to occupy seats; they must remain either on the floor or sit on their owner’s lap.
• Small dogs who remain on their owner’s lap ride for free. All other dogs pay the base fare (or reduced fare) paid by the customer accompanying the dog. No zone fare is charged and transfers are to be issued upon request.
Drivers are required to permit any customer with a service animal to ride King County Metro buses. This includes animals-in-training accompanied by a trainer or person with a disability.
Bring on the dogs.
