Mexico City, August 12 – A significant legislative initiative was presented yesterday during a session of the Permanent Commission of the Mexico City Congress, proposing to allow companion animals to travel on public transportation. Deputy Rebeca Peralta León, from the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM), introduced a reform to Article 80 of the capital’s Mobility Law, aiming to establish clear guidelines for the presence of pets on various public transport systems.
Legislative Initiative Seeks to End Uncertainty for Pet Owners
The proposal, also supported by Deputies Jesús Sesma Suárez and Manuel Talayero Pariente, has been forwarded to the United Commissions of Sustainable Mobility and Security, and Animal Welfare, for review and dictation. The core objective of this reform is to enable people to use public transport with their companion animals, ensuring conditions of safety, hygiene, animal welfare, and the proper functioning of the service.
Deputy Peralta León highlighted that currently, six out of ten households in Mexico City own at least one companion animal. Despite this prevalence, existing legislation does not explicitly permit pets on public transport, leading to inconsistencies and varied criteria among different transport systems regarding their access.
“The Mobility Law does not expressly recognize that people can travel with them on public transport. In practice, there are systems where they simply cannot enter, or where their access depends on different rules and criteria,” Peralta León stated during the virtual meeting.
Specifics of the Proposed Reform
The initiative specifically aims to ensure that public passenger transport service providers allow access and transfer of users with their companion animals on the Collective Transport System (STC) Metro, Metrobús, Cablebús, the Passenger Transport Network (RTP), electric transport, and concessioned transport.
Peralta León emphasized that this reform seeks to eliminate the uncertainty faced by public transport users by establishing specific rules for pet access, which will be adapted to the characteristics of each transport modality. The proposal stipulates that the entry, stay, and transfer of these sentient beings must be carried out under conditions that guarantee the safety of people, hygiene, animal welfare, and the adequate operation of the service.
Implementation Timeline and Regulatory Adjustments
The initiative also outlines a timeline for its implementation. The Mexico City Government, through the Secretariat of Mobility, would have 180 working days to adjust the Regulations of the Mobility Law and establish the general conditions for this change. Subsequently, public bodies and service providers would have an additional 90 working days to adapt their administrative provisions, manuals, protocols, and other relevant instruments.
Following Deputy Peralta León’s intervention, the Board of Directors officially referred the initiative to the United Commissions of Sustainable Mobility and Road Safety and Animal Welfare for analysis and dictation. This move marks a significant step towards a more inclusive public transport system for pet owners in Mexico City.
The reform reflects a growing recognition of the role of companion animals in people’s lives and aims to align the city’s regulations with the needs of a substantial portion of its population. The outcome of the commissions’ review will determine the future of pet travel on Mexico City’s public transport network.
Source: https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/comsoc-proponen-que-animales-compania-puedan-viajar-transporte-publico-cdmx-7760-1.html
