The law that allows pets on the subway reads: “No person may bring any animal on or into any conveyance or facility unless enclosed in a container.” That’s fine if you have a Chihuahua, Miniature Poodle or other toy dog breed that can fit nicely in a purse or a primary school sized backpack, but what do you do if you have a big dog? How do you get your precious four-legged friend to vet appointments or transport them to the dog park? When it comes to transportation for dogs, size shouldn’t matter, and retrievers, malamutes, and big beautiful labs shouldn’t be barred from access to the most used form of public transportation in the city. It’s New York, and nearly everyone gets from here to there by subway, and dogs who are confined in apartments all day while their owners work need all the outings that their owners can provide.
If you see that man with his Siberian Huskey in a large body sling or a bulldog peeping out of a soldier’s duffel bag, you are looking at some very determined, loving pet owners who have found their own special “work around” of the law, so they can bring their fur babies on board.
A pet carrier is a pet carrier, right? Except those with larger dogs are doing much heavier lifting than urban princesses with little designer dogs have to do. There is no limit to the items that can double as a “container” for a pet. Recyclable canvas shopping bags with a reinforced bottom can provide a comfy tote for a medium-sized spaniel or beagle. It seems the bigger the dog, the more creative dog owners will get to find or make that carrier device.
So, if you spot a woman boarding a subway car on the IRT line with her Newfoundland puppy riding piggyback in a very large Native American style baby carrier, you might want to give her your seat.
