Starting September 28, for dogs and cats travelling with their owners on the Malaspina Sky, BC Ferries has introduced a three-month trial on the Saltery Bay to Earls Cove route to allow customers to bring their dogs and cats to the upper outside decks on the ferry to test the waters and collect customer feedback.
According to a media release, the three-month pilot is the result of answering pet owners’ requests to allow their furry friends access to outside areas on board. Plans to expand to other routes will depend on “pawsitive” customer feedback, the release stated.
Owners must keep their dogs on a leash at all times, and cats must be in a travel carrier while on the outer decks. Access to the area will be via a designated stairwell, with restricted elevator entry for those with accessibility needs. Paw prints on the deck mark access points. Waste bags and water bowls will be provided, and the area will be routinely cleaned.
The release stated that BC Ferries loves all animals, but only dogs on leash and cats in carriers are safe on the upper outer decks. There will be a limit of two dogs per owner.
As a reminder, BC Ferries is asking drivers to turn off their car alarms while parked on the decks of vessels. Motion can set them off and the noise is alarming to pets on the vehicle decks. For more information on travelling with pets or on the pet pilot, go to bcferries.com.
According to statistics from BC Ferries, dog ownership in Canada has increased from 7.6 million in 2018 to 7.7 million in 2020. Approximately 58 per cent of Canadian households report having at least one dog or cat. The number of passengers travelling on BC Ferries with pets increased from 5.5 per cent in 2018 to 13.7 per cent in 2020, the release stated.
