Sooner or later, we all need to transport our pets somewhere. Perhaps to the vet, groomer, boarding kennel or to daycare. Some pet parents like to take their pet to the pub, weddings, birthdays and other events.
If you don't have access to a pet-friendly vehicle or find it's hard to schedule a time for your own appointments, let alone those of your pets, then transport can become a problem.
Cue the rise of pet taxis. Some go beyond our love of dogs and cats and provide pet-friendly transport for your budgie, fish or other loved furred, feathered, finned or scaled friend. Okay, I don't know about snakes but you could ask.
Here are a few examples of what's on offer with a focus on those who offer services nationally or something near to it.
Send Your Pet to the Vet (or the groomer, daycare, etc)
Petcloud is a national network offering a range of pet of services including
pet taxis.
You can book on demand or schedule a ride, get fare estimates before booking and track your pet's trip and ETA. Drivers are Police Checked, insured, hold an Australian Licence, and are trained in animal handling. Check out their
app for more details.
Petbacker also has a selection of pet sitters who offer
pet taxi services around Australia (and internationally). You can browse and select a profile that appeals or get prices from nearby pet taxis before deciding. Sitters are vetted and your pet is insured.
Airtasker is another organisation where you can browse pet taxi services or post your requirements and receive offers.
Riding with Your Pet
You might prefer to accompany your pet on vet visits. Possibly you'd like to take your pet with you to a pet-friendly event or venue and don't have a car. Perhaps you have a car but your partner is tetchy about the dog hair. Some car services will allow your dog (and in some cases other pets) to travel with you if the driver agrees.
Mainstream
taxi companies are required to allow service animals. They will sometimes allow pets to travel, however, this is at the company and driver's discretion.
One
rideshare company that is actively moving into this space is Uber.
Uber Pet - "A ride for all paws" rolled out recently on a national basis. Attracting a $6-7 surcharge, you can now take your pet along with you to well, wherever you may want to go.
Be Your Pet's Taxi Driver
If you don't have a car or your car is not suitable for your pet in some way, car-sharing services such as
GoGet and
Car Next Door have pet-friendly options.
As there are different laws and regulations around carrying unrestrained pets in a car, it's wise to check your local requirements and be prepared. For dogs and cats, a crate or carrier can be a good investment. For dogs, a harness that can be attached to a seat belt/seat belt adaptor is useful. The RACV also has some
good advice on doggy car travel. For other pets, advice from the car/taxi services provider or your vet should give you a good guide on what equipment might be needed if any. Whatever your pet, a blanket or towel is always a good idea to protect the upholstery and keep the car clean.
Have you used a pet taxi or other pet-friendly transport? We'd love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
