Some Hong Kong transport operators are considering whether to allow small pets on board buses and trains. Photo: Lo Hoi-yingTwo Hong Kong public transport operators – MTR Corporation and franchised bus firm KMB – are considering allowing passengers to bring small animals on board in a bid to cater to pet owners, the South China Morning Post has learned.
Sources said the rail giant and bus firm were both mulling the move, with the MTR Corp to make a decision in the first half of this year. The companies were expected to limit the size of pets allowed, they added.
An insider said the MTR Corp planned to conduct a trial run on weekends to gauge public sentiment, with the service then being extended to non-peak hours during weekdays.
“The MTR Corp needs to balance the extent of public acceptance and the travel needs of pet owners,” the insider said.
“The size of the pets allowed on board should be small and carried in a carriage or a bag so they can be kept at a safe distance from other passengers to avoid causing any nuisance.”
A second source said the rail firm could also designate one compartment on each train for pets.
Another insider said KMB was eager to introduce a pet-friendly policy on its regular bus routes. The firm rolled out the city’s first regular animal-friendly public coach service in October last year.
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The service allows cats and dogs of all breeds aboard select double-decker buses, and charges passengers with pets just HK$35 (US$4.50) per ride.
“KMB has considered rolling out the service during non-peak hours with the size of the pet no bigger than that of a permissible piece of luggage. But they must be put in a container,” he said.
In response to the South China Morning Post’s inquiries, the MTR Corp stopped short of saying if it was considering such a policy.
The firm only said that it needed to “consider and balance different factors” as it sought to provide safe, reliable and comfortable rail services.
“The company will continue to maintain communication with different stakeholders,” it said.
KMB said it was committed to encouraging a more pet-friendly environment, adding that its non-franchised “Pet Bus Tour” service had received tremendously positive responses.
“The company maintains an open attitude towards allowing pets on franchised buses and will consider various factors and balance the opinions of all stakeholders to foster a more inclusive society,” it said.
Lawmakers Gary Zhang Xinyu and Michael Tien Puk-sun both expressed their support for the move.
“Hong Kong is an open and vibrant city that should cater to the different demands of customers. A lot of Hongkongers own pets, and they should be given convenience for travelling,” Zhang said.
“This policy should be introduced in stages to allow the public to gradually accept it.”
Tien, who is also a former chairman of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, said: “I support this initiative to allow pet owners to carry their ‘fur child’ on public transport.”
“We should be cautious at the start and take in small pets first at non-peak hours. For KMB, [animals] should be kept at the lower deck, but they cannot occupy a seat,” he added.
“If both the MTR Corp and KMB allow passengers to carry luggage, I cannot see why they cannot bring their pets on board.”
Government statistics showed that about 242,000 households in Hong Kong in 2019 kept dogs and cats, accounting for 9.4 per cent of all households.
Pets are currently barred from public transport such as trains, buses and trams, unless they are guide dogs.
But local legislation allows the operators of franchised or licensed ferry services, public light buses and non-franchised buses to decide for themselves whether passengers can board with pets.
The city is home to more than 1,600 parks, but only about 160 welcome pets, so long as they are on leashes. Canines, meanwhile, can only run freely in the 52 dog parks.
Many owners looking to travel with their animals have to hire an Uber Pet service, which charges a HK$20 fee per animal, or take a taxi.
Cabbies only charge HK$5 per pet, but drivers can refuse to carry them.
In contrast, many locations in Europe allow pets on buses, ferries and trains.
Britain, the United States and South Korea permit pets on public transport if they are kept in carriers or bags, while Japan and Taiwan allow animals in carriers on certain rail systems.
In July of last year, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said authorities would balance factors such as compartment space, the behaviour of animals and the potential impact on other commuters before considering whether to relax restrictions.
The government would also keep in mind all relevant suggestions while considering whether such a change was needed, he added.