You can take your dog or cat on an airplane, and stay with your pet in many hotels. But why can’t a companion animal travel with your family on a passenger train?
That’s the question being asked by U.S. Reps. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., and Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., who this week introduced H.R. 2066, the Pets on Trains Act of 2013. The bipartisan legislation would require Amtrak, the national rail operator, to implement a pet policy to allow passengers to travel with domesticated cats and dogs on certain trains.
“My dog, Lily, is part of our family and travels with us to and from California all the time. If I can take her a on a plane, why can’t I travel with her on Amtrak, too?” said Congressman Denham. “Allowing families to bring their animals with them will facilitate transportation and efficiency while also providing a much-needed source of revenue for Amtrak.”
Under the legislation, Amtrak would be required to develop a policy for people to travel with their pets, and to designate, where feasible, at least one car of each passenger train in which a ticketed passenger may transport a dog or cat. There would be reasonable requirements for pet owners who want to take advantage of this policy, such as keeping the pet in a kennel or carrier, traveling less than 750 miles, and paying a fee that covers the cost of administering the policy.
“Those of us lucky enough to have pets are greatly blessed with their companionship,” said Congressman Cohen. “When travelling on Amtrak, families should be able to bring their pets along. Our bill would establish a pet policy on Amtrak trains so pets—which are a part of the family—won’t be left at home to fend for themselves.”
Rep. Denham is the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, and Rep. Cohen is a member of that subcommittee, which oversees Amtrak’s operations. We hope Congress will take up and pass this common-sense legislation, which won’t cost the federal government or Amtrak any additional funds, but will help millions of American pet owners and strengthen the human-animal bond.
