Animals taking public transportation
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Some domestic pets and wild animals have learned to use public transportation to travel independently. This is generally tolerated or even celebrated by passengers, even though most public transportation systems only allow service animals and forbid pets.
According to urban wildlife specialist Suzanne MacDonald, animal "commuters" are usually motivated by food and security available on the vehicle rather than its ability to take them to a destination[1]. Several cats have been reported to ride public transportation for round trips:
- Casper, a cat in Plymouth, England took 11-mile round trips to the city centre via bus. His owner authored a children's book about his exploits, Casper the Commuting Cat.
- Dodger, an elderly cat in Dorset, England, took round trips on several buses[2] and was reportedly motivated by the warmth.
However, dogs and cats have also been observed to ride public transport before disembarking at a destination.
- Eclipse, a black labrador in Seattle, would occasionally ride the bus ahead of its owner[3] when eager to get to the dog park.
- Ratty, a Jack Russell terrier in Yorkshire, England, traveled five miles by bus to be fed at two pubs[4]
- "Macavity," a cat in Walsall, rode the bus 400m several times a week[5] to a destination near a fish and chip shop.
- Feral dogs living in the Moscow subway use the subway as a means of transportation[6], and Malchik, a subway stray dog, has its own statue in Mendeleyevskaya station.
Pigeons have been reported to scavenge New York City subway trains for food[7]. In addition, urban wild animals such as coyotes in the US and monkeys in India have been spotted on public transportation[8], although they are typically not encouraged to return.