Pet Area on BC Ferries
Last weekend I discovered what it was like to be a walk-on pet owner on a BC Ferry. Keira had told me before that the “designated pet areas” on BC Ferries were pretty lacking but I certainly didn’t imagine this.
When you walk in the door there’s a sign that says you must remain with your pet at all times, meaning you’ve paid just as much money to ride the ferry as everyone else but you must sit on a metal chair, in a metal room, in the middle of a car deck for your entire 80-minute voyage. Meanwhile, other passengers are upstairs with basic amenities such as clean drinking water and restrooms (I won’t even mention the cushioned seats, cafes, cafeteria, magazine stands, vending machines and work spaces). Pet owners also don’t get to hear the safety messages so I had no idea where I could grab a life vest in case of an emergency.
I understand that having a pet is a choice, and deciding to take that pet on a ferry as a foot passenger (not driving a car) is a choice as well. However these facilities just seem a bit lacking. I would at least imagine that pet owners would get a discounted fare for enduring the trip in the metal box they call a “pet area” as I certainly could experience the difference – but not in a good way at all.
If you have something to add to this discussion please do so in the comments of this post.
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As a pet (cat) owner, I just can’t believe on how small it is. Sure you want chairs that can be easily be cleaned but an to sit on that for the whole trip come on.
I wouldn’t wanna know what that place is like on a long weekend. There should be a washroom down there and pfds. (not everyone heads upstairs, but rather sleep in their cars)
Some ferries lets you stand on the main level dock where the cars are parked – so you don’t have to sit inside a little room. But yeah, the system needs to be re-done.
Let me first say, I realy enjoy reading your blog, I find myself checking it a few times a day!
And this article! It’s sooo true! I think it’s time for change too.
The Langdale ferry pet area is on the side of the ferry – it’s almost impossible to not feel the breeze the entire trip. They have a heater – which gets ridiculously hot to the touch and yet if you are more than 1 foot away you can’t feel the heat.
That particular pet room is one of the nicer ones on the BC Ferries fleet. The older ferries (at least last winter when I was on) didn’t even have heaters, and they’re DAMN cold.
You are allowed to walk with your pet around the rest of the vehicle deck, but that area is the only “indoor” area for walk-on passengers with a pet.
(How do we end up walking on the ferry with our pets? We’re usually dropped off, or leave our cars on one side, while family/friends pick us up on the other side to avoid paying an extra $100 to needlessly shuttle our private vehicle back and forth.)
Thankfully I haven’t been in a situation yet where I haven’t either been traveling with a companion, or met other dog owners also in the pet room, so we can trade-off with each other for bathroom breaks.
Just curious – if you had your pet in a carrier or whatever, would you be allowed up in the normal passenger areas?
Totally agree. There are so many pet owners in BC and it would be nice if BC Ferries would offer a safe and comfortable area for those who travel with their pets. Paying full fare to sit in this area and not have any of the basic amenities is frustrating.
From the BC Ferries website:
“Q: May I travel with my pet(s)?
A: Yes. Pets must remain on vehicle decks for the duration of a voyage. The only exceptions are guide dogs for people who are visually impaired, and certified assistance dogs for those with other disabilities.”
While it would make sense that a well-behaved dog in a carrier should be allowed on passenger decks, the answer is no. BC Ferries can’t be banishing dogs from passenger decks because of health concerns because a dog is a dog is a dog, whether it’s a guide dog or not – so that point is irrelevant.
I am currently drafting a formal complaint letter to BC Ferries with regard to their sub-standard conditions for pet owners and their furry loved ones. Last weekend’s voyage with Rebecca was bearable because we had warm weather and we had each other. I simply can’t imagine how different it would be while travelling for Christmas holidays… not only would it be overpacked but -10 degrees in a steel room doesn’t sound pleasant, or humane for that matter.
This seems like much ado about nothing. Taking pets on public transit is clearly “optional” and there are far worse problems to be addressed with regard to the ferry system such as unsafe equipment and crews. I don’t think that the passengers who died or families who lost all of their possessions on the Queen of the North would give a rat’s ass whether the pets-poop-here room (poop deck?) had cushions on the seats .. do you?
Let’s keep things in perspective, ladies.
Wanna take your dog? Take the car. Don’t have a car? Well, here’s what we’ve got and at least there’s SOMETHING. There are only so many edge cases that the public system should be expected to support. I would be disappointed to see costs (and therefore fares) increase yet further to support your sense of entitlement.
Arnold sounds pretty snarky, but I agree with his fundamental point. What percentage of all ferry passengers walk on with pets? Surely it’s less than 5%. How many other pet owners were with you guys in the pet area on your crossing?
Plus, some accommodation has been made. It’s not perfect, but it’s surely better than nothing (‘nothing’, if memory serves, is what you got on older ferries). Keira Anne calls it ‘substandard’, which raises the question of what the standard is. What accommodations do other similarly-priced ferry services offer?
Hi Arnold,
I am not a pet owner however as stated in my post, but I took the trip with my friend who is. Neither of us own a car and her family is on the Island so she’s not going to stop making that crossing.
If you read my post you’ll notice I was concerned about safety:
You may also note:
That was purely my suggestion since I prefer to offer up possible solutions rather than simply rant. We did only run into about 4 other pet owners throughout that journey so it couldn’t be asking for much.
From the responses I’ve seen on Twitter I hear that most people just smuggle their pets up in carriers (snuck away in bags) to the main passenger decks anyway.
The note above the water tap said that it was not potable and there were no washrooms (as I also noted in my post, please feel free to re-read it):
However, you are right, there are many other concerns in the world – from disease and poverty to the environment etc. but comparing this note to any of those or assuming that something like this is my main concern in life, is absolutely absurd.
I am actually surprised by this. I am not a huge pet lover or anything but for those who do have pets it seems unreasonable. Perhaps very few people actually walk on with their pets so it’s not a huge issue? Maybe more people keep their pets in their cars?
I’ve been travelling on BC Ferries since 1972. Now I ride my motorcycle on and off the boats practically weekly.
I’ve noticed there are very limited provisions for me and my motorcycle. Sometimes, when the ferry hits the docks hard, I worry my motorycle will tip over or the alarm would go off. If I want to stay with my motorcycle on the car deck, I cannot clearly hear the public address system and it’s not clear where the life jackets are.
Therefore, I should be allowed to take my motorcycle onto the passenger decks. It’s friendly, shiny, and only occasionally drops oil on the carpet when it knows it’s not supposed to.
Alternatively, and even though there are usually only 2 or 3 other motorcyclists on board when I travel, perhaps we could build an entire deck dedicated to motorcycles. Maybe we could build a special hoisted suspension system and ask the crew to wrap my motorcycle in bubble wrap in order to prevent damage or discomfort for my bike?
I’m sure other passengers wouldn’t mind paying to ensure my motorcycle’s safety… it’s really very friendly and (mostly) well-behaved.
Ian, I get what you’re saying.
But… at least there’s no sign saying you can’t leave your motorcycle unattended and you can still go use the bathroom or get a glass of water should you need to do so during the journey.
This isn’t rocket science, asking for the moon, or asking everyone else to cater to your lifestyle. A water fountain, a speaker to hear announcements, or just a bathroom would be helpful from what I gather.
Who knows, maybe pet owners would gladly pay more to cover the cost of these things so no one else has to.
I don’t own a pet and probably will never own a dog however this was an observation after I experienced the “pet area” for the first time.
That’s OK … I fibbed a bit. My motorcycle is almost never well-behaved.
I’m on the fence about this. I agree that what they have seems pretty archaic, but that being said, it does seem like a pretty small edge case. I probably would disagree somewhat if the ferry system was privately run, because then basically it’s up to you whether or not you take the ferry. But given that it’s publicly run (at least I think it is), and it’s really the only feasible option for travel to the mainland, it would be nice if they upgraded their facilities.
As for taking pets upstairs, I think that’s a slippery slope. So you let people with dogs up. Then what, people with cats? What about people with snakes or ferrets, should they be allowed up too? What do you do when people start complaining about allergies?
I have walked on with my pet a few times. I agree 100% that the pet “rooms” are substandard. I’m not sure what they could do to improve them, but surely something can be done. Thanks for the post.
Well, the area you were in isn’t so much the pets-allowed area as it is the place your furry ones go when they need to defecate. All of the car decks, according to BC Ferries, are open to use by pet owners. You’re not expected to ride there, unless you have particularly dull olfactory senses.
The reason there’s water is because that’s how they hose that area down between trips.. a feature even Pig Pen himself might come to appreciate. The area is not designed for traveling in style… it’s a bathroom for pets.
If you were with a friend or two you could all take turns with Le Chien below deck, while the rest repose above steerage class. If not, it’s only two hours…
As for why no leather sofas, triple-ply toilet paper rolls, and no XBOX360 hooked up to the 46″ LCD? Simple maritime engineering: Adding such devices and materials increases the risk of fire near the waterline exponentially. In shipbuilding, you put all the fancy flammable stuff near the top of the boat and make the lower decks all metal and hose-down. Getting a fire on the upper decks is no big deal… getting one close to the engine, fuel, drive and steering systems makes for a really bad day. If everything down there is made of steel and a fire breaks out you just crank up the sprinklers and everybody gets a free car wash…
I understand there are health concerns having animals on passenger decks, and don’t for a moment think any animals (in carriers or otherwise) other than service animals should be up there.
I also didn’t think too much about the pet area on the ferry until they started putting heaters and chairs in them. I figured that BC Ferries Corp just didn’t really think about pet owners in pet areas. I’m used to all sorts of places not making an effort to make my life as a dog owner easier (because there’s no reason they should – same goes for parents of kids as far as I’m concerned), so I just made the best of it.
Now that they’ve put some basic (and tragic) amenities in there, it’s just insulting. It proves that they *have* thought of pet owners in pet areas, and their “thought” is a hearty “F-You.”
I agree with you that the area’s should be spruced up a bit…Install a speaker system and have access to a bathroom on the car deck! But then you run into the same issue (ish) as people who walk on alone with all their luggage!
Cant take all the luggage through the lines at the cafe etc…you end up sitting watching your bag! However as someone who has very severe allergies to dogs and cats, you need to keep them seperate.
Its one of the hazards of travelling by foot alone…and taking your pet along with you! Sorry you had such a crappy experience.
I think that, unless one is a pet owner, this topic and idea is hard to understand. I can respect and see that, in the bigger picture, this issue is more of a non-issue. And while I completely understand why pets are maintained to a particular area, as a devoted pet owner, more acceptable conditions are required.
1) I don’t need leather seats, an XBOX or latte machine. I would, however, like cushions seats covered perhaps in vinyl (2 hours is a long time to sit on meshed wire).
2) Basic amenities such as drinking water and an accessible bathroom next to the pet area seem more than reasonable. A couple of vending machines nearby would just be the cherry on top when those tummy grumbles hit.
3) I am a pet owner, I travel to the Island often to visit my family and I choose not to drive a car for environmental reasons. Because these are my personal lifestyle choices, I don’t believe I should be subjected to anything less than the other paying passengers are entitled to.
4) BC Ferries is not a Provincially-governed entity and therefore are not held accountable by the public for their choices and decisions. The corporation also holds a monopoly on water transport in the Province – we have no other choice. With the new super-class ferries, BC Ferries had an opportunity to provide a more appropriate pet area but chose not to do so. I am sure that it would not take much money to install more comfortable seats, a bathroom and a water fountain. I’m sure Coca-Cola would be more than happy to cash in and install another vending machine. Money cannot be an issue… put this into perspective: Over December and January, BC Ferries knocked down fares to less than $9 to walk on; the fares are now back up to just shy of $14 to walk on. If the corporation was able to charge $9 and still make a profit, I can’t imagine how much more they are “raking in” at their current fare rates.
5) A room that small when packed with pets and their owners over a long weekend would be unbearable. And further, I shudder to imagine how chilly it will be while travelling in the winter when the temperatures dip well below zero.
6) While it would be ideal to meet people and help each other out to use the bathroom, buy food, etc., but sometimes that is simply not an option. I will continue to travel to the Island, most times by myself, and can’t count on others to take care of my “baby” simply because I need to pee.
I’m not asking to ride with the rest of the passengers… I’m just asking BC Ferries to throw the dog owners a frickin’ bone (pun very much intended).
P.S. The safety issues go without saying – I am 99.9% sure that there are no life safety vests or emergency exits on the vehicle decks. I’m not sure what would happen in the case of an emergency.
heh… well, I guess that since the vehicle decks have those large, 40-foot-long openings along the sides, one might consider that a means by which they could exit the boat in question. On the new boats I have noticed a few, but not many, flotation vests/rafts on the vehicle decks. Mostly for the crew, I would imagine.
I’m sorry your experience on BC Ferries sucked. My point, I guess, is that there are other more pressing circumstances that play into why it is the way it is, and that perhaps seeing a chair in the poopy area has given you a misinterpretation of what it’s there for. It’s not a passengers-and-pets lounge … it’s a bathroom for your basset. Isaac the bartender is a few decks above but apparently the only way to get your poodle up there is to perfect your Stevie Wonder impersonation.
For everyone who is saying this should be put in perspective? You aren’t paying very close attention to the safety issue for the human beings stuck in that box.
“We also don’t get to hear the safety messages so I had no idea where I could grab a life vest in case of an emergency.”
Perspective indeed.
I haven’t been able to visit my Aunt on the island since I got my dog 3 yrs ago
My dog is very anxious in noisy environments like the car deck and it would be cruel to subject her to that even if I could get her crate on there with me (my dog is 70lbs–it’s a big crate) How loud is it inside that room once the ferry is underway Miss604? Are the vibrations pretty bad?
I get motion sickness and being stuck in that space would be really difficult for me as well! Not having access to a bathroom when you have motion sickness isn’t good at all. I’d be travelling alone so I really wouldn’t be able to leave that room.
I don’t see how it’s so difficult to at least have vinyl (ie easily cleanable) cushions on the seats and a speaker and life jackets in the room, and to have put a bathroom nearby. If you make the walk-on pet facilities decent, more pet owners WILL use it! I’d even pay extra to use it.
BC Ferries isn’t going to care about this because the Provincial (nor the Muncipal) governments care about this. Being a pet owner in Metro Vancouver is extremely restrictive.
“Yes. Pets must remain on vehicle decks for the duration of a voyage. The only exceptions are guide dogs for people who are visually impaired, and certified assistance dogs for those with other disabilities.â€
Just something for people to consider–getting your dog certified as an assistance dog is ridiculously difficult in this Province let alone in Canada in general. MANY people use their animals as various types of therapy dogs but they aren’t legally recognized as such by the government (in other words you don’t have the documents necessary to take them on a bus or a ferry with you or to rent an apartment)
I’m currently working for a cruise company in the caribbean, and the crew lives either at sea level or below for the most part and it’s expected in the event of evacuation for the crew to come seven decks up to lifeboats/liferafts. Much like it is on the ferries. Evacuation from the ship occurs on the outside deck, which is often at the top of the ship. So the point of a life jacket is moot, especially when there are multiple staircases to the top of the ship and BC ferries staff do make patrols of the car decks as part of normal rounds during the voyages. So the best way of addressing the safety aspect would be an improved PA system, which is a reasonable request.
As for the Pets, It’s your choice to take your pet with you when walking on. While this might be worth evaluation, I’m certainly more concerned on the other issues at hand.
Okay, a couple of other things:
Keira said: “Because these are my personal lifestyle choices, I don’t believe I should be subjected to anything less than the other paying passengers are entitled to.”
… to which any rational person would counter: “Because these are YOUR personal lifestyle CHOICES, you should not feel entitled to having the rest of us pay more to accomodate you.”
I think it’s great that you’ve got a zero footprint lifestyle, and I wish I did too.. but as a pet owner myself practicality dictates that if I will be traveling with my beasts, I absolutely will be using a car.
Point Two: The things you’re asking for (including a bathroom) will NEVER exist on the vehicle decks, and the pet area will never exist above. As I said and I suspect BC Ferries will confirm, this is for fire safety reasons that are quite well-established. Vending machine = source of ignition; vinyl seat covers burn. If you can stop a fire in the critical below decks area by opening the sprinklers then odds are good that there’s no real burn damage (because there’s almost nothing flammable). You might not even miss a sailing after a fire. Stuff that does burn needs to be replaced, takes the boat out of service, and costs money.
These boats are built to be seaworthy, safe, long-lived, and reliable first. Comfort is second place. Comfort for a few tenths of a percent of the passenger volume is a distant outlier. Why is anyone surprised? I am literally shocked that there’s a place for doggies to poop at all — that’s positively ingenious.
“The area is not designed for traveling in style… it’s a bathroom for pets.”
Seriously? If I was sitting in there with my dog and someone else came in and allowed theirs to use the floor as a toilet I’d have a serious problem with that. That’s what the (limited) grassy areas at the terminal are for… any responsible owner should ensure their pet is ready to make the trip.
Anyway, I travel regularly on the ferries with a vehicle and a dog… but if I were to walk on with the dog I would appreciate a discounted fare… it’s the least they can do, and I certainly don’t think that’s asking for too much.
“the pet area will never exist above. As I said and I suspect BC Ferries will confirm, this is for fire safety reasons that are quite well-established.”
This is a safety concern, how?
Supply and demand. As more and more of us ditch our cars in favour of transportation options that are healthier for us AND THOSE OF YOU WHO USE VEHICLES, and we choose to have a pet (hello? that’s quite a few of us, non?), things will shift. Thanks Keira for taking the initiative to write to BC Ferries (and I hope you’ll post their response), and thanks @miss604 for the post.
You bet, Nancy – though I am sure it will consist of the same sugar-coated fluff and pat answers that we could also expect from politicians.
Regarding the notion that a vending machine is a source of ignition and that vinyl seats are a flammable hazard that would be too “close to the engine, fuel, drive and steering systems,” naturally the same can be said of the numerous cars, trucks and trailers parked on the vehicle decks. A simple vending machine and bank of vinyl-covered seats simply cannot pose such a greater and more significant risk as to not be viable.
Keira-Anne; the lower rates you quoted was the result of a multi-million $ input by the Prov. gov. and does not reflect on BC Ferries operating costs.
I have 6 cats at home and drive everyday to feed 6 feral [and fixed] cats. I am a pet person.
I second Ian’s point about Keira Anne’s ‘personal lifestyle choice’. I may be a nudist (I’m not), but that shouldn’t mean that I’m entitled to wander around the gift shop buck-naked.
I looked, and I was unable to find any information about the fraction of passengers who walk on with pets. I welcome any anecdotal data on the subject.
I did, however, happen on a couple of pages which describe pet-access on ferries: http://bit.ly/jpG8N and http://bit.ly/iJN61. In many cases, ferry services charge extra for pets (despite offering no additional pet related services). I’d have no objection if BC Ferries charged for walk-on pets, and used the extra funds to upgrade the pet area.
For the record, I’d also have no objection to people bringing small animals in pet carriers up on to the main deck.
[...] Pet Area on BC Ferries » Vancouver Blog Miss 604 by Rebecca Bollwitt [...]
I agree that if the area is to be upgraded they should charge for pets.In the meantime though these people are not using the facilities of the ferry and should get a discounted rate.
I do agree that this is a lifestyle choice but the smokers (lifestyle choice) get an area on the top of the Ferry with a fantastic view and access to go inside and use the facilities if need be. What if someone with a small child were to walk on with a pet?
Keira: “Regarding the notion that a vending machine is a source of ignition and that vinyl seats are a flammable hazard that would be too “close to the engine, fuel, drive and steering systems,†naturally the same can be said of the numerous cars, trucks and trailers parked on the vehicle decks.”
You are correct! But wrong in your conclusions.
The point is that car fires on ferries are quite commonplace… they’re bound to happen. A very brief scan on google reveals that BC Ferries has had half a dozen in the last year alone. The difference between a fire that can be contained easily and does no real damage to the steel decking, and one that takes the boat out of commission for weeks at a time, is what else there is below deck that catches fire such as vending machines, comfortable seats, etc. As an example, here’s a story about a significant car fire that caused the ferry to miss only two sailings: http://tr.im/k7Ud When was the last time you saw a house catch fire where the family moved back in 4 hours later?
And the reason you can’t take your dog above deck to the top deck is that they don’t have enough staff to actively police the dog policy — “Oh I’m just on may way to the dog area above deck” — and it’s easier to just corral people below deck, where they can hose down any poopy action and just wash it over the side.
But don’t let logic get in the way of a good rant.
PS – I bring my basketball on ferries whenever I go to Victoria. I can’t find anyone to babysit it while I am gone. WHY DOESN’T BC FERRIES have basketball courts on the ship? I pay the same fare as everyone else: that’s discrimination! I am making a healthy lifestyle choice and they are punishing me!
Hrmm.. i’ve had to travel to Van-isle with a small parrot. I can get her to and from the ferry on the bus in a travel cage no problem. However, that “pet room” is not adequate for me or her. It’s WAY too cold on the vehicle deck for both of us anyway. You know what… I’d be totally cool with paying a small premium for bringing her on board. Like $5-10… for somewhere to sit. That way, I am paying for my pet and neither of us will freeze our butts off. Plus which, that room is full of big dogs, I’m terrified of big dogs… on the brightside, I can just pee on the floor, since it appears to be a large toilet.
Maybe one of those “state rooms” would work… I know I’d be happy to share one with other pet owners, especially if they’re pets are in cages. I’d be happy to leave her in her travel cage the entire time.
in the meantime, i’ll continue sneaking my parrot on the deck when my car is in the shop… at least if i sit near the little kids any noise just sounds like one of them.
And motorcycle man, quit your whining. You pay half of what a car driver pays.
Compare BC Ferries archaic treatment of people and pets compared to Washington State Ferries, where pets are allowed upstairs as long as in a carrier. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/info_desk/faq/index.cfm?faq_id=17
In addition, I recall some of their ferries having been constructed with exterior stairwells, so that one can bring their pet upstairs to the sundeck in a carrier without going through the “interior” passenger areas of the ship.
That’s the difference between an organization that actually thinks of solutions, and cares for people, compared to one that simply sees people, pets, cars, etc as “commodities” to be hauled across the water.
[...] http://www.miss604.com/2009/04/pet-area-on-bc-ferries.html [...]
Mr Bell continually fails to address the main concern of lacking in basic amenities. He brings up excuses for this lack: “we shouldn’t have to pay for a minority’s lifestyle choice” (though what Miss604 actually suggested is a discounted fare for pet owners, or if the amenities were improved, she would pay extra for travelling with an animal); “it is a safety concern for other passengers” (which is debunked by Daryl’s link to the Washington Ferries policy); and the catch-all “there are better things to worry about in the world” (which is really a meta-argument and so does not count).
“Safety concerns” has been thrown around above like a big end-all argument. A counterargument: driving at high speeds is a safety concern, but it hardly stopped the invention and development of air bags. In fact, safety concerns should be a limitation inviting creative solutions and advancement of technology and policy. I suggest that when Mr Bell next sees a brick wall, he ought to attempt walking about it rather than simply turning around to whence he came.
Further I think Mr Bell is on a different page than the others: he considers animals commodities (like his motorcycle and basketball) rather than a living member of the family. This is a valid world view, but to use his argument: why should the others have to pay for HIS world view?
This looks like an industrial janitorial converted closet. Nice to have somewhere to be with the pets but I think an overhall is required. There was a previous comment that only 5% of people travel with pets – gee I wonder why? No one in there right mind would want to sit in that little box. Since we are trying to reduce car useage, people need to get used to the idea of pets aboard public transit, including ferries.
It’s interesting to read these posts. First I’m not a dog owner, but I have seen the accomodations that have been set out for pets. While we could argue back and forth all night the fact of the matter is if BC ferries wasn’t going to build something acceptable they should have left things as they were. 6 chairs crammed together in a very tiny space – body odor and puppy odor are enough to make ones stomoch flip flop. As well dogs are in very close quarters which leads to the risk of dog fights.
As someone mentioned you can’t hear the safety announcements but at least post instructions on the wall. As for the suggestion if we don’t like it leave ones dog at home. The trouble is we are being encouraged to go green and those that travel with pets that try to go green are rewarded with a piss ass little box to sit in. Yes you can walk around the deck but if anyone’s road the ferry in the dead of winter you know that’s not going to happen.
Yes I know there are far more important causes in the world but there are far less important ones too. Yes I know that dog owners have the option of traveling without their dog but do they. YOu have no idea why they are on that ferry. They could be on their way back to the island for a family emergency and any responsible pet owner isn’t going to leave their dog locked up at home.
I don’t think dog owners are asking for the world here. They simply want a little common sense used. Let’s face it we all have had to go to the washroom at the most inoportune time – 80 minutes can be awfully long.
What many seem to forget is that BC Ferries is our highway and we shouldn’t have to beg for common sense to occur. Rant on.
This should be on the news – Global National and CHECK Island news. This is terrible!!! Some do not have the choice, period, to drive across. And no one should have to spend (in my case) 2 hours in a place like this just because they have a pet with them!!! I had no idea it was this terrible until I read this. I am NOT looking forward to this ferry ride tomorrow (my first time bringing my pet along). I feel sorry for all those out there who have to ride with BC ferries when walking across with a pet.
I agree it is not as good as it could be but it is a lot better than it used to be. I am a regular ferry user and most times have to take my dogs across (by regular I am talking at least a couple of times a month). In the winter it used to be really really bad but now at least you can keep a bit warmer. I would love to see them put up kennels that you can either put your own dog kennel in and padlock it so you can go upstairs or you can leave your dog in the run. This would accommodate the dogs in the space and allow the human to go above to enjoy the ferry as they should be able to. This area should be heated. Either that or outside stairs as someone suggested to allow the pet area to be above the car decks. This would also help with the problem of leaving pets in a car on a hot summer day…we have had to stay with the dogs that we drove over due to the chance of overheating in a hot vehicle on the deck…this is again a bad situation.
My mother wants to take the ferry from Nanaimo to Vancouver with her “large” dog but says its too cold and what if she wants to use the bathroom.
Question:
Is the area heated, and if so, is it just the new ferries?
Is there usually enough people there that someone would hold on to your dog for you to get a tea and use the bathroom?
I’m walking on with my dog again. The Coastal Renaissance pet area is acutally delux complared with the older ferries.
The pet area on the older ferries have a cold metal bench (seats ~ 4 people), is a much smaller area and is NOT CLOSED in. Cold wind and wave splash come in to the space through a grid, along the lower outter side. It is freezing during the winter. Need to take something to sit on and something to cover up with.
So…the Costal Renaissance pet room is warm, contained and delux in comparisson with a lot more seating. All pet areas are now heated (new)
The sign on the door asking owners to stay with their pets is there because I have sailed when some owners literally tied their dog to the fence (older ferries) of the pet areas then take off leaving their dog to bark and whine for 1.5 hours for the rest of the pets and owners to suffer and try to comfort the stressed out dog. I have witnessed this several times. One time the guy said “I’ll be right back, going to get a coffee” and showed up 10 minutes before docking.
Other pet owners spell each other off to go and get a coffee. I have a medium sized dog and bring a portable “tent” for my dog to rest in.
I do agree that the pet area still can be improved, I just want to let people know that the Coastal Renaissance is the delux version of pet rooms available on BC ferries. People with children can’t just drop their kid off to go up to the cafeteria for coffee, yes they can bring them, but pet owners can quickly go upstairs and directly return to their furry charges patiently waiting.
Wow, that’s pretty surprising how horrible to ride with pets on their ferries. If the owner had to suffer that, how much more for the pets. Looks like travelers with pets would suffer long journey of discomfort if they don’t have a choice but to ride those ferries.
So I have to go pick up my new puppy on the mainland, and I am just concerned that I can bring him on the boat with me. I was not under the impression that if you need to bring an animal, you are in fact treated as most scum would treat an animal. That’s pretty messed. But whatever….people suck.
No question the pet area is not terribily welcoming, but it was a huge upgrade from the old days. Before the Spirit ships the pet area was a bench in between bulkheads. In order to avoid the steel room, I find myself forced to dramatically increase my carbon footprint (bring my vehicle) to move my animal to the island.
Hey-thanks for all the info, although I stopped reading about half way down.
I now feel informed on what ferry to take and what I can expect when I do a day trip over to the Island to hopefully bring back an adopted three legged kitten :0)
I will use the upper ferry part to the fullest on my way there and when I return I will have pre-packed snacks, blanket, pillow, water, music and a book to make the trip easier.
I am good with the price I am paying as I am making the choice to bring a pet and not driving saves me money anyways. However if I wasn’t prepared, I’d probably end up annoyed-thankfully I researched and found this site ahead of time.
Does anyone know what the procedure is for pets during an emergency? Are we supposed to leave our pets on the vehicle decks to go down with the boat or can we save them along with ourselves?
I am a regular traveler with my cat – my family lives on the island, and not only is it freaking expensive to drive, as a university student, I don’t have a car. Vancouver has excellent public transit (that allows pets in carriers, might I add) so there is no need to.
When I first started making this trip every now and then, I kept getting the Coastal Renaissance – no arguments there, and there was usually another pet owner who you could ask to stay with your pet for a moment while you ran upstairs to get food, a drink, and go to the washroom. It was warm and not too bad, even if the chairs were a little uncomfortable.
And then one day I got one of the old ferries. This was a particularly rainy day, and my cat and I were both soaked. The pet room here, was on the outside of the ship, open to the wind. For two hours. I found it ridiculous that I still have to pay the same fare as people who are upstairs, warm and comfortable.
So I bought a soft carrier that looks like a duffel bag, and now we go upstairs. No one’s noticed.
There is a new heated pet area on the Queen of Cowichan. Boarding at Horseshoe Bay it is on deck 4 on the right hand side, closer to the Horseshoe Bay end. It could be larger, but there is room for 3 or 4 dogs and their owners. Their are two other dog areas , one directly across from the heated dog area on Deck 4, and the other on Deck 2 on the left as you board at Horseshoe Bay. Water from the car deck taps on the C Class, older ferries, is potable. These include the Cowichan, Coquitlam, Surrey and Oak Bay. Car deck water is not potable on the new Coastal Class ferries like the Renaissance and Inspiration, which sails only in summer in addition to the others.
If you have a small dog in a basket or whatever, you can always go up to deck 6 in the elevator ( on the Cowichan, boarding on deck 2 at HSBay, the elevator that goes to deck 6 is at the far end on your left. ) There are some bench seats outside the elevator in the solarium on deck 6. One other type of dog is allowed in the passenger accomodation other than guide and assistance dogs. These are dogs that are IN TRAINING to be guide and assistance dogs.
The Cowichan sails from Departure Bay at 0630, 1030, 3PM and 7PM every day, except July and AUG, when the Renaissance sails on those times. For sailings of this vessel from Horseshoe Bay Sept-June add 2 hours for the departure time.
Hope I was of assistance. Gee it almost sounds like I work there!
Alyssa> I am sorry that your exprience was so bad but to bring you cat on the passenger deck is ILLEGAL. in more ways then bc ferries says no. There are LEGAL reasons pets are NOT permitted on the passenger ferries.
As the owner of a service dog, having to go thru so much to get where I am I am appaled at your disrespect
BC Ferries pet policy is ridiculous! Smokers are allowed a special place on the side deck and they don’t have to pay extra for that, so why not pets?
Having a spot indoors where you can bring animals in crates and either stay with them or leave them in the pet area in the crate would be ideal. So is the idea of having a designated outer area on the upper decks for animals and pets – instead of being around the engine.
I get very sea-sick, so I can’t be down below near the engines and oil smell without needing to vomit. My small dog, is also petrified of the sounds of the large engines and metal sounds. When I travel by car, we are okay in the car. But by foot? The first time I encountered this archaic policy was when I had to to do an unexpected walk on from the Queen Charlotte’s to Prince Rupert. It was a 7 hour journey and I was expected to leave my dog tied up in the engine/car area. Fortunately, a very lovely couple offered to let me leave my baby in their camper with their dog, or I don’t know what I would have done.
I have to take a ferry trip in Sept, by walk on, and have no idea what I will do with my dog and am stressing about it now. Vancouver is supposed to be a pet friendly city and there are many hotels that will accommodate your pet. With all the money the government WASTED on the stupid Olympics, upgrading the ferries to offer a better alternative for pets should have been something that was done.