BC Ferries should provide pet owners with better accommodations, passenger says

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A Vancouver woman is calling on BC Ferries to make their sailings more comfortable for pet owners who don’t have cars.

Amanda Burrows walked on to a sailing to Victoria last weekend, toting her cat with her for a getaway now that COVID-19-related restrictions on travel within the province have been lifted. She says she wasn’t the only one setting out with a furry friend.

“I was so excited to be able to safely travel for the first time in a very long time to see my family. It’s really busy now with all the pets and the pet owners,” she says.

“I don’t ever want to complain, I always want to think of solutions. But, there were seven dogs in there and I had my cat, and they were barking. The pet owners were absolutely lovely people and the dogs were just really excited in such small quarters. My cat was definitely anxious and agitated.”

BC Ferries has a separate area on board for people without vehicles who are travelling with their animal companions.

“Pets are part of the family, so we want them to travel as comfortably as possible,” the BC Ferries website says, adding the designated area is equipped with what pet owners need to “help you and your pet feel comfortable and at home.”

@BCFerries time to give owners more space on the ferry or let us roam! This isn't even all of them. #zoo pic.twitter.com/00jhZqzeUp

— Amanda Burrows (she/her) (@BurrowsAmanda) June 19, 2021

But Burrows says a number of issues make the area uncomfortable.

“There aren’t amenities, there is no washroom there’s nowhere to grab a coffee, no one checks in on you, there’s not enough seats in the winter, it’s incredibly cold,” she says.

“You don’t really feel like, as a passenger, you’re sitting in dignity. I don’t think pet owners are treated with much dignity in many places. This isn’t the fault of BC Ferries, it’s obviously probably a rule, but it’s getting to a point where it’s not very accessible and certainly not safe right now with COVID.”

As someone travelling alone the requirement to stay with her pet in an area without a nearby bathroom for humans meant she wasn’t able to use the facilities for her entire trip.

“I did not want to use any of the facilities upstairs and leave my cat because she was agitated. I didn’t want to make any other passengers feel uncomfortable either if she started meowing or something. I wanted to stay with her. It was just an uncomfortable ride.”

Burrows says she says she thinks the experience for pet owners would be vastly improved with a few changes. She would like to see a larger space, access to the outdoors, along with washrooms and food and beverages close by. She’d also like the area to be farther away from where vehicles are parked, saying the noise of car alarms going off is another stressor for the animals.

“I think the BC Ferries is doing a great job keeping us safe, and I’m sure we can solve a long-term solution so pets and pet owners to travel with more dignity.”

In an email, a spokesperson for BC Ferries outlined the options available to pet owners.

“For the safety of our customers and crew, pets must remain on the car deck or in the Pet Area, and foot passengers must remain with them (on Southern Routes) unless a kennel is available to leave the pet in.”