Should dogs be allowed on Montreal's Metro?

Ana Luisa Vilches Saldivar says she wants to enjoy all the summer fun Montreal has to offer without leaving her best friend at home.

But Montreal's public transit agency has strict rules when it comes to pets.

People with vision or mobility impairments may be accompanied by guide or service dogs, but all others must remain inside cages or other closed carriers, the STM says.

Saldivar wants that rule to change so Montrealerswho don't own carscan get out and about in the city with their dog.

"I would like to go into the Metro with my dog. It's just that simple," shetold CBC Montreal's Daybreak.

"My dog is 28 kilos. It's not possible to bring her in a cage. Especially because we don't have elevators in all the Metro stations."

So, in an effort to allow her dog to ride with her, she launched an online petition calling on the STM to change its rules. The petition got more than 250 signaturesin just a couple days.

Dogs allowed in other places

Travelling in Barcelona recently, Vilches Saldivar saw that dogs are allowed on the subway system.

Dogs there need a muzzle and a leash 50 centimetres or shorter, she said, and these types of rules could be applied in Montreal to ensure everybody is safe.

"I know my dog is totally cool with people, but I would totally agree with making him wear a muzzle because I know we should respect the public space," Vilches Saldivar said.

In Madrid, dogs are only allowed in the first or last wagon. And in Vienna, dog owners only have to buy their dog a ticket half the usual fare.

"I know there are a lot of people who are allergic or just afraid of dogs, and I respect that," she said.

Vilches Saldivarthinksallowing pets only in designated wagons would mean other riders can avoid the dogs if needed.

STM not willing to bend the rules

The STM said fines ranging from $75 to $500 can be issued to people who ignore its rules about pets.

A spokesperson for the agency saidit'snot willing to change those rules, which have been in place since 2003for security reasons,and because some clients have allergies or phobias when it comes to dogs.

Regardless, Vilches Saldivar is pushing forward with her effort. She said it's her first time taking on a cause like this, but it is something she believes strongly in.

"I just refuse to accept that people in some other cities can live like this and we can't," she said.