Traveling by car-share (Zipcar etc.) with a dog
Zipcar operates a membership-based car-sharing service in over fifty cities in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Though the company makes mistakes (hello? pulled out of L.A.??), the car-sharing concept is terrific. Zipcar originally banned pets from its cars, but its current pet policy is sensible:
We understand that Fido and Precious need to go to the vet on occasion (many Zipcar employees own pets too). Pets are only allowed into Zipcars in locked pet carriers and members are responsible for removal of any residual pet hair. We ask members not to let that furry friend out of its carrier. It’s unfair to the other members.
Please refer to Dog Jaunt’s earlier post about car travel for descriptions of several small-dog carriers that can be strapped into a back seat safely with a car’s seat belt (and will also work as in-cabin airplane carriers).
Zipcar competitors
Zipcar has competitors in several cities, including Chicago, Minneapolis-St.Paul, New York, San Francisco/Bay Area, Philadelphia and Toronto.
Chicago’s non-profit I-Go Cars offers a fleet of eco-friendly cars. Its pet policy states:
Some members are highly allergic to pet hair. For this reason, we require that pets must travel in pet carriers. The cleaning fee for carrying pet without a pet carrier is $100.
HourCar, a non-profit car-share in the Twin Cities, has the most detailed pet policy I’ve seen:
Only pets in proper carriers may be transported in HOURCARs. Proper carriers are airline-style pet carriers which are mostly enclosed. An unacceptable style of carrier is an open-air cage which would release pet hair or allow for a pet to scratch or soil the interior of the car. It is a member’s responsibility to ensure that no mess is left in cars, including pet hair or odor. Pets must remain inside the carrier at all times while in the car. Members must be responsible for the health and safety of their pets, because it is not acceptable to leave HOURCAR vehicles unattended with the windows open.
New York’s Mint has a shorter pet policy: “Pets are allowed but they must be kept in carriers at all times.” Connect by Hertz (which also has offices in Washington, D.C., Paris and London) has the following pet policy: “With the exception of service animals accompanying a member or passenger with a disability, animals are not allowed in the Car at any time unless they are contained within an appropriate animal carrier. Animals too large for carriers are not allowed in a Car.”
The Bay Area’s non-profit City CarShare handles two issues at once in its FAQs by asking, “Can my pets smoke in the car?” Dog Jaunt loves that image. The pet policy portion of the answer is as follows: “Your pets are welcome to ride in our cars in a locked carrier.”
PhillyCarShare, a non-profit car-sharing service in Philadelphia, has reciprocity with the Bay Area’s City CarShare. Not surprisingly, they also have a similar pet policy: “Pets are very welcome but must be transported in an appropriate, enclosed carrier, since other members may be allergic to pet hair.”
AutoShare, in Toronto, has the following pet policy:
Pets are allowed in designated vehicles as long as the owner is responsible and insures that the car is protected against pet hair by the use of a blanket, sheet, etc. The owner is responsible for cleaning a car when pet hair has not been captured by such blanket or sheet. Where a vehicle is identified as being pet-free you must not to carry pets in that vehicle.
Other car-sharing companies
Austin, TX has a non-profit car-sharing service, called Austin CarShare. It too has reciprocity with the Bay Area’s City CarShare. Its pet policy states: “Due to allergies and sanitary concerns, pets may only be transported in a carrier that keeps all hair inside.”
Boulder, CO’s non-profit car-sharing service is called eGo CarShare, and its pet policy also requires that dogs be in carriers: “At this time all pets must be transported in a pet carrier. As our fleet grows we may be able to designate some vehicles as ‘pet friendly.’”
These companies caught my attention, but there are, in fact, many car-sharing companies in the U.S. and abroad. Here are two helpful lists, one from Carsharing.net and another from Wikipedia, to get you started.
Related posts:
- Traveling by San Francisco/Bay Area public transit with a small dog There are lots of providers of public transit in the San Francisco Bay Area. Stick with me, and we’ll work...
- Traveling by Amtrak – dogs not allowed Amtrak’s pet policy bans all pets except “trained service animals accompanying passengers with disabilities in all customer areas in our...
- Traveling by Washington D.C. public transit with a small dog The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) pet policy for the Metro and for D.C. area buses is as follows: The...
- Traveling by Chicago public transit with a small dog The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has three main pieces: the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates an elevated and subway rail...
- Traveling by Minneapolis-St. Paul public transit with a small dog Metro Transit operates buses in and around the Twin Cities, and it also runs the Hiawatha Line light rail connector...
