The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday said it has asked the Railway Bureau to study the possibility of allowing passengers to take guinea pigs or small pets on trains.
A woman identified as “Roney” on Jan. 19 posted a proposal on the government’s Policy Network Participation Platform to allow guinea pigs onboard Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) trains. As of Feb. 26, the proposal had been seconded by 5,110 people.
The government is obligated to give a formal response within four months for proposals that have gathered more than 5,000 signatures.
The TRA and THSR only allow dogs, cats, turtles, fish and shrimp on board, which is inconvenient for people who want to travel with their pet guinea pigs, Roney said, adding that the only option they have is to leave the pets to the care of friends, relatives or pet hotels.
“Guinea pigs and rabbits are similar in nature. They are not rambunctious, and would not make a lot of noise unless they are scared. As long as they are in a securely fastened cage, they would not run out and would not affect other passengers,” she said.
As guinea pigs spend most of their time at home, the chances of people catching viruses from them are low, she said, adding that there is little record of guinea pigs attacking people.
The ministry said the Railway Bureau would ensure that the TRA and the THSR study the possibility of implementing the proposal.
They should consider the space available in train cabins, as well as passenger safety and public health issues involved in enforcing the measure, it said.
“Should the implementation of such a measure involve a revision of contracts between railway operators and passengers, the Railway Bureau would amend the Regulations of Railway Transportation [鐵路運送規則] and submit the proposed amendment to the transportation ministry for final approval,” it said.
Article No. 23 of the regulations bans travelers from bringing aboard dangerous items, coffins, corpses, animals, or items that might threaten or harass passengers and compromise the safety of the railway systems.
Under the TRA’s regulations, passengers are allowed to travel with cats, dogs, rabbits, fish, shrimps and small pet birds, provided the animals are placed in containers or bags no larger than 55cm long, 45cm wide and 38cm high.
Travelers should ensure that the animals and their excrement would not leak from the containers, which should be properly stowed under the seats.
Strollers that are used to carry pets are only allowed if they can be folded into a size no larger than a permissible container for animals (55cm x 45cm x 38cm).
Birds (excluding small pet birds), snakes, fierce animals or animal species that would threaten passengers and public safety are not allowed on trains.
Police dogs, guide dogs for the blind, the deaf and disabled people, as well as dogs that are under training to offer mobility assistance, are allowed onboard.
THSR has similar regulations on passengers traveling with pets, but it only allows free transport for one container with pets.
Passengers carrying two containers with pets aboard should buy another ticket for the second container, it said, adding that each passenger can carry no more than two containers with pets.
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