Addison Lee launches ‘Pet Friendly’ taxi service
Taxi company Addison Lee has recently launched a ‘Pet Friendly Car’ service to coincide with the UK’s National’s Pet Month for passengers travelling with their pets. As Europe’s leading passenger car service, the firm are teaming up with PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) – the UK’s leading veterinary charity – to celebrate the charity’s 100th anniversary and provide advice on how to travel in comfort and safety with your pet in the city.
The status quo means pet owners have limited choice and quality when it comes to choosing a taxi service for themselves and their pets. Unfortunately, most companies do not allow passengers to travel in conjunction with their pets, and if they do it usually requires advanced booking which is both costly and restrictive in terms of location.
Addison Lee have enabled a service on their app that allows customers to choose a ‘Pet Friendly Car’ option at no extra cost; the service will be available to dogs, cats and most typical household pets. The service will be available throughout the month of April whilst Addison Lee monitor customer demand, with a long-term view to make the pet-friendly service a permanent feature of its app. With over 75% of Addison Lee’s driver base confirming their support for pet-friendly bookings and a premium fleet of Ford Galaxy and Toyota Prius cars to facilitate both a safe and comfortable journey, they’re hopeful this option will become a sustainable service.
Katy Orton, PDSA Veterinary Campaigns Advisor had the following to say on the new initiative, “City life can be overwhelming for dogs, especially if they’re used to living in more rural areas. Traffic, pedestrians, flashing lights and loud noises can be frightening, so it’s important to consider the world from your pet’s perspective when travelling in city environments.”
Tamsin Todd, Chief Customer Officer for Addison Lee showed her enthusiasm for the plan saying, “National Pet Month is a great initiative, and we’re very pleased to have teamed up with PDSA in their centenary year. Passengers now have the option to travel in a private hire car with their pets at the press of a button. Passengers just need to open their app and an option for the ‘Pet Friendly Car’ will instantly appear”.
PDSA Guidance on travelling with pets:
- Make sure your pet is always safely restrained in the car before your journey begins.
- On long journeys, take regular breaks and always offer your pet fresh water and allow them to exercise.
- Never leave pets unattended in a vehicle. Dogs and cats don’t cool themselves as effectively as humans and can quickly suffer from heat stroke and dehydration. Leaving a window open or parking in the shade is not enough to reduce the car temperature.
- Don’t let your dog hang their head out of the car window. It’s potentially dangerous for the dog as well as distracting for the driver and other motorists.
- Help your pets get used to travelling in a car. Build up to longer journeys with short trips, and ask your vet for advice if your pet suffers from anxiety or fear when travelling.
If you're at all concerned about the travel safety of your pet on a day-to-day basis, it may be worth looking at safety harnesses or seat-belts that will put your mind at rest. We've recently reviewed Kurgo's new range on our blog which can be accessed here.
Image courtesy of Addison Lee.
