The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued supplemental guidelines on the policy allowing pet animals inside public utility vehicles.
The Memorandum Circular No. 2020-003, dated Jan. 27, amended the previous memo last year, Memorandum Circular No. 2019-019, which states that pets may be allowed inside PUVs provided that they are put inside carriers or cages and placed at the designated animal compartment of the vehicle if there are other passengers.
The previous memo, according to the LTFRB, failed to take into consideration that the design of existing mass transportation has no designated animal compartment with proper ventilation.
Ang Probinsyano Party-list Rep. Ronnie Ong, who posted the new memo on his official Facebook page, said he submitted a petition to the LTFRB last December to “revise and amend” the 2019 memo to let the pets be seated beside their owners as long as they are in crates or dog bags, wearing diapers, and free from any foul odor.
“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 (We knew before that there has been a misunderstanding in the previous memo regarding the vagueness on what really are the ‘designated animal compartments’ where we can put our pets),” he said.
“With the help of LTFRB, our beloved pets are now allowed onboard PUVs safely and comfortably… 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 (the seat occupied by the pets will be paid whenever they are brought during travel),” he added.
Under Memorandum Circular Number 2020-003, pet animals must be put in a cage/animal carrier free from foul order if loaded on mass transport such as public buses, jeepneys, UV Express service, and Premium Point-to-Point (P2P) bus service without having to compromise safety, health issues, and convenience of other passengers.
The memo also noted that pets must wear animal diaper to maintain cleanliness and sanitation at all times during the journey.
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 per seat occupied.
It stipulated that dog sizes allowed in PUVs must be from the range of small to medium-sized dogs, highlighting that large and giant dogs shall not be allowed. (PNA)
