Approximately half of the population owns a pet. Whether it’s a cat, a dog, a bird, or any other type of pet, all of them are equally important.
When traveling, the most common pets to bring along are dogs and cats. Several transportation companies do not allow pets on board or, if they do, they add a substantial fee.
The need for traveling with pets
For instance, some airplane companies will allow you to transport dogs or cats in the airplane warehouse. Other animals will be accepted in the cabin, but that’s more unlikely.
Pet owners can have a difficult time dealing with separating from their pets. Animals may feel anxious or scared too. So traveling in the most comfortable way for both of them is essential for a transportation company to attract more customers. This method I can truly recommend to get your dog to be well-behaved and start to obey you.
There are times when it’s indispensable to take a ride with your pet. An emergency might emerge, and you need to take your animal to the vet. Maybe you can’t drive by yourself or don’t feel calm enough to do so. You would need a ride from a professional driver to get you to your destination.
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Uber Policy On Pets
Uber is one means of transport several people use around the world. Drivers started complaining about customers bringing their pets alone without advising beforehand. People were supposed to warn in advance about their pets coming along. But most people didn’t. Uber drivers were upset about this, and they started complaining.
The reasons for drivers’ complaints vary. Some of them were allergic to that specific animal. Others did not want to put up with the implied post-cleaning, because they knew it would be their responsibility.
This often turned in rejection and ride cancellations, which did not benefit the company. Therefore, Uber decided to implement an option that allows Uber drivers to accept pets in their rides. They acknowledged the need for pets to travel with their owners from time to time.
It is not mandatory, and most drivers can opt out of this possibility. After all, they are the ones in charge of the cleaning and maintenance of the car.
This pet-friendly initiative implies a surcharge of $3 to $5 in the pricing. The company assures that drivers will receive a remarkable portion of said surcharge. Many drivers are still not content about this, because they don’t believe receiving a few extra bucks will make up for all of the work and dangers that bringing a pet along with means.
This new Uber service has been ongoing since October, and the company expects good results and reviews from the customers, as well as an increase in rides and a decrease in cancellations.
Customers must check the pet option in advance in the app, and they will be charged the tax. This will also allow drivers that don’t want to take part in this project to not appear in these customers’ searches.
Exceptions and additional information
Anyway, there are exceptions to these new rules as well. Service animals, for instance, will not require a surcharge to travel in a car. Blind people, among others with physical disadvantages, will not have to deal with this additional cost.
Also, if the customer pretends to bring along more than one dog or cat, or whatever pet, they must communicate it to the driver. It’s up to him or her to decide if they accept the ride.
Furthermore, as they state on their website: “if your pet leaves waste, excessive hair, or damages the vehicle, you could be charged a cleaning fee.”
Possible complaints and complications
Some customers have complained that Uber drivers took advantage of this new feature to unfairly charge them additional costs. They stated that drivers would come up with lies explaining why their pets made a mess, and why they needed to pay the cleaning fee.
Some Internet users have advised pet owners to take pictures before and after the pet comes into the cab. This way, it may be easier to counter the driver’s dishonesty.
But it can also happen the other way around. Maybe one customer’s pet leaves a mess behind and the owner refuses to pay any additional fees to the driver. This may discourage Uber workers from accepting animals in future rides, which is the whole point of the new policy.
Other issues rely on drivers accepting the ride request and then canceling it once they see the pet. This may be due to a lack of awareness when accepting the request, but it makes pet owners have a troublesome time finding an Uber driver.
These types of problems would need more regulation from the company itself. Taking more care of their driver’s and customer’s needs, as well as detecting any possible frauds, are essential to the correct functionality of their services.
What to do to ensure a pleasant ride
It is important for customers to bring along items like a blanket to prevent any mess from their pets. Carriers for dogs and cats can be also very useful to avoid fouling the cab. The more precautions that are taken by the owners, the most likely they won’t be charged cleaning fees or any complaints. Also bringing these Nano towels will ensure that you can clean whatever mess your pet will do in the cab.
As mentioned above, it’s also vital to let the driver know a pet will come along. Making sure the employee knows this information in advance will avoid ride cancellations or uncomfortable situations in which the driver won’t take them in, yet the customers insist.
Being courteous with the driver at all times will also make the ride more enjoyable. Uber employees are not known for having the best working conditions, and it’s their personal car you are traveling in. Being respectful to the driver will probably result in a pleasant interaction between worker-customer.
Summary
Uber has implemented an option that allows drivers to accept pets and animals on the rides. It’s not mandatory, and it’s up to every driver. Surcharges of $3 to $5 will be applied for this possibility, and customers should advise beforehand to the driver, making sure there’s no problem with bringing their pet along.
