Pets on Metro Trains: Chennai

Chennai: If you are looking to travel with your pet on the Metro system, chances are you will have to wait a while before such a system is implemented. As of right now, aside from sniffer dogs on duty used by security, no animals are allowed on the Metro premises or on the trains.

According to a Metro Rail Official, live animals and birds are banned from being in Metro trains and on Metro premises, as is outlined in the Metro Railways Carriage Ticket Rules, 2014.

Unless you are a part of security personnel that has a sniffer dog, nobody else is allowed to bring pets and birds on the Metro, regardless of whether they are in a cage. “Pets are prohibited across all metros. They are not allowed because it is both a hygiene issue as well as inconvenience to passengers” said an official.

Passengers should also know that the ban on live animal travel on the Metro is in place regardless of whether the passenger buys a token for the animal.

Along with rules for pet animals, passengers are also banned from carrying uncooked or raw meat/fish, as these products are treated as animal carcasses and are considered an offensive material according to the Metro Railways Carriage Ticket Rules, 2014.

While pets are not allowed in Metros, they are allowed on the Indian Railways for journeys over longer distances. In pet travel via train, your pet can either travel with you or in a luggage van inside their crate, and railways have minimal health and safety requirements to clear. You will need to bring your pet to the booking office shortly before the journey though, to verify their documentation and make sure your pet is fit to travel. One plus point is that the Indian Railways recently announced the provisions for online seat bookings, which should streamline this process once launched.