Amtrak Service Animals and Pet Policy

Available on the Carl Sandburg and Illinois Zephyr May 5, 2014 - April 26, 2015; Saluki & Illini August 11, 2014 - April 26, 2015

Carry-on Pet Pilot Program
Amtrak and the state of Illinois will extend the carry-on pet pilot allowing customers to take their small dogs or cats along with them on the train that started on May 5, 2014 through to April 26, 2015 on the Carl Sandburg, and the Illinois Zephyr, Trains 380, 381, 382 and 383. In addition, the pilot will expand to include the Illini and Saluki, Trains 390, 391, 392 and 393 starting August 11, 2014 through to April 26, 2015. For more information on the types of pets allowed, pet reservations and fares, approved pet carriers and additional details, review the complete Carry-on Pet pilot program guidelines.

With the exception of the Carry-on Pet pilot program, Amtrak does not permit pets on trains or Thruway services, in passenger areas of train stations or in checked baggage.

Only Service Animals Permitted
Generally, animals are not allowed on Amtrak. However, service animals are permitted in all areas where passengers are allowed. Service animals are animals that are trained to perform a specific task for the benefit of a person with a disability. Amtrak personnel may ask what task(s) the service animal performs.

Animals Not Allowed
The following types of animals are not permitted:

Comfort Animals: Animals not trained to perform a specific task, but which are said to provide emotional support or to relieve anxiety simply by their presence (for example, by the passenger holding or stroking the animal).

Pets: Animals for which no claim of any service is made.

Search and Rescue Dogs:* Animals that are trained generally, but not to assist a particular passenger.

Police Dogs:* Other than dogs brought on trains by the Amtrak Police Department.
* If the passenger or agency feels an exception needs to be made for search and rescue dogs or police dogs, contact the Amtrak Police Department for assistance.

Control of Your Service Animal
You must keep your service animal under control at all times. The animal should always be on a leash, harness or other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of his/her disability to use a harness, leash or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash or other tether would interfere with the service animal's safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler's control.

Amtrak personnel may require you to remove your service animal en route or from the station premises if:

the animal is out of control and you do not take effective action to control it (for example, a dog causes a significant disturbance by barking repeatedly and uncontrollably or is not housebroken) or
the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

If you are asked to remove your service animal, but you would like to remain on the premises and/or continue travel without the animal, you must make arrangements for another person or local animal control to accept custody of your animal, and you may be required to continue or begin your Amtrak travel at a later time or on a later date.

Service Animal Must Remain on Floor
A service animal must sit under the passenger's seat or at his or her feet. Service animals are not allowed to sit in the aisle or on seats.

Walking Your Service Animal
If the train schedule permits, you may walk your service animal at station stops provided that you stay within reasonable proximity to the train and re-board promptly when the conductor notifies you that the train is about to depart. If you plan to walk your animal during the trip, please notify the conductor when you first board the train. Some routes may have limited or no stops for the duration of your trip, so we encourage you to check schedules before you make your travel plans.

Amtrak employees are not responsible for the care or supervision of any passenger's service animal.

Making Reservations with Service Animals
It is not possible to make reservations that include service animals on Amtrak.com. Amtrak encourages passengers using service animals to make reservations by phone so that we can reserve an accessible seat or space (if desired) and provide you with information regarding intermediate station stops. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) or TTY (1-800-523-6590). Agents are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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People Are Using Fake Service Dogs to get into Restaurants and Other Businesses

By Sue Manning, Associated Press:

It's an easy law to break, and dog cheats do. By strapping a vest or backpack that says "service animal" to their pet, anyone can go in stores and restaurants where other dogs are banned, creating growing problems for the disabled community and business owners and leading to calls for better identifying the real deal.

Those with disabilities are worried about privacy and the safety of their highly trained service dogs, while business owners are concerned about health violations and damage to merchandise from impostors abusing the system.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, it's a federal crime to use a fake dog. And about a fourth of all states have laws against service animal misrepresentation. But privacy protections built into the laws make it nearly impossible to prosecute offenders. It's even more difficult because no papers are legally required for real service dogs. Often, people who want to take their pets into restaurants or retail stores just go online to buy vests, backpacks or ID cards with a "service animal" insignia.

The law says those entering businesses with animals can be asked just two questions: Is this a service dog? What is it trained to do for you?

Efforts to make the law more prosecutable have begun, but few agree on what will work best. Ideas range from ditching privacy to doing nothing.

Corey Hudson, chief executive officer of Canine Companions for Independence in San Rafael and president of Assistance Dogs International, a coalition of training schools, is leading the effort to get the U.S. Department of Justice involved. He started writing to the agency 18 months ago but has not received a response.

Hudson wants to open talks and explore ways to identify the real from the phony.

But the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners in Michigan worries that bringing in the Justice Department could set back access rights won by those with disabilities in the past 20 years.

"While we deplore those who might be so unethical as to impersonate a disabled person by dressing their dog up as a service animal, we equally deplore the frenzy of alarm being stirred up about the risk of such abuse," said Joan Froling, chairwoman of the IAADP.

There needs to be a standard, said Jennifer Arnold, founder of Canine Assistants in Atlanta. "The sticky part is who will do the testing and what will be the criteria for allowing dogs to be considered assistance dogs."

An ID card might be the simplest answer, she said, adding that she doesn't think the loss of privacy will be the big issue that some think it will be.

There is a big difference in the behavior of real service dogs and impostors inside businesses, experts said. A true service dog becomes nearly invisible. Pets might bark, urinate, sniff, scratch and eat off the floor.

Real service dogs can be the victims of unruly fakes, said Wallis Brozman, 27, of Santa Rosa. She has dystonia, a movement disorder that left her unable to walk and barely able to talk. She needs a wheelchair, voice amplifier and her service dog, Caspin, who responds to English and sign language.

"When my dog is attacked by an aggressive dog, he is not sure what to do about it and looks to me. It becomes a safety issue, not only for my dog, the target of the attack, but for me if I am between the dogs," Brozman said.

Business owners also face problems. In August, Russell Ireland banned a dog from his Oxford, Mass., diner after its owner put a plate of food on the floor for the dog.

James Glasser claimed it was a legitimate service animal and took part in a boycott of the diner. There was talk of a lawsuit. Ireland apologized. The dog's actual status is unclear.

Cook Justin Fisher said his boss' reputation took a beating. Business is just now returning to normal.

Marv Tuttle, a volunteer guide at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, said he believes he spots phony service dogs two or three times a week. He has also experienced the other side. Tuttle uses a service dog, Yara, because of a spinal cord injury from a traffic accident, and he and his wife were once stopped from entering a furniture store. "A girl greeted us and said she'd be glad to hold my dog outside," he said.

The clerk told them that two weeks earlier, a fake was allowed in the store and urinated on several expensive Indian carpets.

In terms of solving the dilemma, Tuttle doesn't think any kind of legislation will work.

"They can write new laws, but there is no way to enforce them. We don't have enough police to stop murders, much less stop people from hauling around pseudo service dogs," he said.

In this photo taken Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013, Caspin a service dog sits below Wallis Brozman outside at a shopping mall in Santa Rosa, Calif. Other victims of unruly fake service dogs are real service dogs, said Brozman, 27, of Santa Rosa. She has dystonia, a movement disorder that left her unable to walk and barely able to talk. She needs a wheelchair, voice amplifier and her service dog who responds to English and sign language. "When my dog is attacked by an aggressive dog, he is not sure what to do about it and looks to me. It becomes a safety issue, not only for my dog, the target of the attack, but me if I am between the dogs," Brozman said. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

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