The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has released Memorandum Circular No. 2020-003 or the guidelines on allowing pet animals inside Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs).
“These animals must be put inside carriers or cages and placed at the designated animal compartment of the PUV, should there be other passengers inside the PUV,” the memorandum states.
The memorandum further states additional policies aside from the conditions already stipulated in Memorandum Circular No. 2019-019.
“If pet animals are to be loaded on mass transport such as PUB, PUJ, UV Express service and Premium Point-to-Point Bus Service, without having to compromise safety, health issues and convenience of other passengers, said pet animals must be put in a cage or animal carrier free from foul odor,” it said.
“Passenger-owner must see to it that pets must wear animal diaper to maintain cleanliness and sanitation at all times during the journey,” it states.
The memorandum also said that “dog sizes allowed in PUVs must be from range of small to medium sized dogs. Those large and giant dogs shall not be allowed. There will be a list of dogs with their corresponding size provided in annex.”
It added that “pets placed inside a carrier or cage must be beside the passenger-owner and must pay the corresponding fare in an amount the same as that of the paying passenger-owner per seat occupied.”
In a Facebook post of Rep. Ronnie Ong, he wrote “with the help of LTFRB, our beloved pets are now allowed onboard PUVS safely and comfortably.
Last November, we discussed with LTFRB our proposed amendments to their Memo allowing pets onboard PUVs like buses.”
“Alam po natin noon na nagkaroon ng mga ‘di pagkakaunawaan sa naunang Memo dahil vague kung ano nga ba ang ‘designated animal compartments’ na pwede natin isakay ang ating pets habang nasa byahe,” he said.
“This is why we submitted a petition to LTFRB last December,” he added, “to revise and amend the said memo to allow pets INSIDE PUVs and let them be seated beside their owners as long as they are in crates/dog bags, wearing diapers and they are free from any foul odor. Para po fair sa lahat, babayaran na lang po ang seat katabi niyo na occupied by your pets sa tuwing isasama natin sila sa byahe.”
“Maraming salamat po sa LTFRB sa pagdinig po sa aming petisyon at kasama ang aming pawtner na PAWSsion Project, tuloy-tuloy po kaming handang tumulong at makipag-coordinate para sigurado po ang comfort at safety ng lahat. Fur-parents and hoomans, let’s claim this GOOD NEWS. Pwede na pong kasama ang ating fur-babies sa ating #travelgoals pics,” he wrote in his Facebook post.