To think a big dog has no place in the wheelchair/buggy area of a bus

[yessirnosir]

I think I may know I ABU, but I've just been on a bus journey that made me very uncomfortable. When I got on the bus with my nearly 3 year old DD I saw someone get on the bus via back doors with a Phil & Ted and two sleeping small children. As I got on the front I heard her say to someone who was in the wheelchair/buggy area, 'this area is for buggies' I thought she was just asking him to move as she saw me coming, but she looked pretty annoyed, and as I got to her I saw the boy she had been talking to had a large dog. When I say large I mean much bigger than a staffie, but with that bull terrier type head. He was the sort of dog I would have steered my child well clear of normally, and while that sounds really predjudiced, I know my kids aren't always as good with dogs as I'd like, they tend to get overexcited. I always make them ask the owner before they stroke a dog, no matter what breed, and take them away if they start getting overexcited and honestly, I would keep them away from a dog with a huge jaw, with any sort of studded harness/collar, held be a chain attached to someone who doesn't look capable of responsibly looking after a goldfish. In this situation if any of the children had started to want to stroke the doggy they were trapped at eye level with a dog that the owner had to hold back throughout the entire journey. I stood with me between my dd's buggy and the dog, but felt uncomfortable with the situation as obviously did the other mother.

I just wonder if a dog like this really has any place on a crowded bus. A crowded bus is unpredictable, children are unpredictable as can dogs be. I know there is a body of people who will say it's about the owner not the dog, but the owner didn't fill me with confidence, he didn't look old enough to be responsible to look after a dog that strong. I would say it would be hard to say one dog is OK, another not, and also probably not appropriate, after all who decides, and who knows which dogs can be trusted and which not, so is there a place for any dog on a bus (except obviously working dogs)? Or should I have just got off if I wasn't sure my child and that dog were not a good mix?

And please can we stick to this point, not the usual dog lover/dog hater thing.

I own a big dog, and I very strongly avoid taking him on a bus or train for exactly this reason - lots of people are scared of big dogs, and public transport is not the place for them IME.

Having said that, there are circs where I can imagine I might end up doing it - the main one I can think of is if I needed to take him to the vet.

Agree Orm - that is exactly what I meant when I said public transport is public. The dog hardly got on the bus on its own.

actually dogs do have a right to be on public transport such as buses at driver's discretion.

They have a right to be on trains at no extra charge.

If the driver had decided he was happy for the dog to get on the bus then the issue was the op's and if she didn't want to be in close proximity to the dogg she could have got off the bus.

I take my guide dog on buses and he sits in the buggy area as there is more space for him. If someone felt intimidated by my dog being in close proximity to their child do you thin they should have the right to order my dog off the bus too?

I would have asked them to move, i think and spoke to the driver if they didn't, area is for buggies/disabled. I have dog & would take her on bus but would def not sit near small children/ babies or anyone who appeared fearful.If she was huge dog (which she isnt) would take her off bus if no space/if dog & i were taking up buggy/disabled space. Dogs are not people and do not have rights to public transport, as far as i'm aware anyway

The only dogs allowed on public transport are guide dogs in my area.

There were a number of incidents on public transport in Berlin a few years ago, and as a consequence dogs - all dogs - are only allowed to travel with a muzzle, and they have to have a reduced fare ticket (the same price as for a child, bike or large piece of luggage). It is a lot safer on crowded buses, where a big dog's face can often be at the same level as that of a small child.

The biggest potential danger is with tails when the dogs are sitting/lying - dogs with long tails spread them out on the floor and they can be easily trodden on, which would annoy the most peaceful dog.

Not the same with guide dogs

I have to go pick up ds now, who is strangely not on half term, so I have not abandoned this thread and will check in later, but I would like to add I am not scared of dogs and totally understand people need to get their pets places. I suppose I am saying maybe this is not an AIBU as I was kind of just interested if this was different to the usual dog threads as it is a specific enforced proximity situation, but I don't see how it can be one rule for one dog, one for another, so it has to be all dogs or no dogs, as I'm not sure driver's discretion can work without putting more people's backs up.

I will say though, that I think people who are responsible dog owners who can't see that you can look at a dog/owner combo in a big city and think you would be sensible to steer your children away from them, then they are very naive.

of course it's the same. It's still a dog, the dog is in close proximity to the child, even guide dogs can and have been known to react, in fact I know of a guide dog who snapped at a child who crawled under a seat after it on a bus.

Dog was withdrawn as a guide dog with immediate effect but the senario is the same.

I must add that would never attempt to get my dog if the bus was crowded.
We usualy onlt travel if there's plenty of space.

can't you collapse the buggy and put dc on a seat with you or on your knee?further towards the middle of the bus.

I think the poor boy with the dog probably didn't have any sort of thoughts such as the well articulated ones on this thread anyway. Did he respond to the other women who said 'this area is for buggies'? Out of a matter of interest OP? How old was he?

"But the owner does have a right."

The owner does have a right to be on the bus. But not with his dog. The dog needs to get off. The owner has the right to remain on the bus. If he chooses to get off with it, then so be it.

The same rules would apply if it were a horse in the buggy area.

As stated before dogs are allowed at the driver's discretion. If the driver thought it was ok for the dog to remain then obviously it was.

Being allowed on at the discretion of the driver is not the same as having a right to be there.

Just what i was thinking tethersend about horse

yabu
dogs can go on busses
and yabu for dissing staffies

Feckk.. you would hate me.

I have two kids (a 2YO and a 10 MO) AND a large dog.

Perhaps I should stay in forever in case of offending someone

Dogs have every right to be on buses, tethersend - Until the bus company bans them, hey have every right on there.

I often take the train into london with my two kids and dog. If you don't like it, then I suggest you MOVE AWAY... YOU are more mobile than ME!! And, in my case, I (and my kids) have every right to be in he buggy area.

What a stupid thing to get upset about.

fwiw I have never seen a dog misbehaving or causing a nuisance on a bus.I have seen lots of kids getting on peoples nerves though,screeching and whingeing etc.

No, Harimo, they don't have 'every right'- no animal does (save guide dogs).

The bus/train companies let you take dogs on board, and have the right to withdraw this at any time.

Not half way through the journey, tethersend... [DUH emoticon]

IF the bus company withdraws the right, then, I agree, they no longer have that right.. but if they are allowed on.. THEN THEY ARE ALLOWED ON!!!!

I still maintain... If that's the worst thing you see on a bus... you are probably pretty lucky.

If the driver has let him on with dog he shouldn't be asked to leave later unless the dog (or the owner for that matter) has done something wrong. Someone being scared of a dog simply being there, is not doing something wrong.

Duh, yourself, Harimo- the dog is on at the discretion of the driver- it has no rights, not even to stay on for the whole journey.

Great debating skills, BTW.

Tethersend are you trying to say that there is no such thing as "universal dog right" to travel on public transport? If so I agree on that but while the bus companies allow dogs on buses at drivers' discretion the dog is allowed to stay unless the drives thinks there is a problem.