LRT CAMPAIGN

Help us make the region of Kitchener-Waterloo LRT dog-friendly for everyone!

Did you know that only animals small enough to fit in a portable crate enclosure are permitted on-board Grand River Transit vehicles?

Our campaign is to allow ALL leashed-dogs on transit, so all dog owners have access to affordable transportation no matter the size of the dog.

Support Dog Friendly KW in advocating for ALL dogs to be permitted on LRT trains in the Region of Waterloo.

ALL DOG OWNERS DESERVE ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION

It’s hard enough being a dog owner sometimes. But, being a dog owner who doesn’t have access to transportation just because of the size of your dog? That’s a big bite.

Why this matters so much to us:

Canada is home to 7.9 million pet dogs (Statista, 2020).

In the City of Kitchener alone, there are close to 10,000 dog owners and over 10,000 dogs licensed with the city. Of those, 5.2 million are medium or large breeds (21+ lbs) (Statista, 2020).

Majority of dog owners cannot access transit with their dog(s) locally based on current guidelines.

According to a 2020 survey by Rover, nearly 3/4 of respondents were interested in learning how to live more sustainably with their pets. Pet owners want to make sustainable choices, but not everyone has access to a vehicle, especially those in lower-income households.

Want to be one of the change-makers in your community?

Sign the petition

A graphic of the Waterloo Region LRT map with cafes and coffee shops, patios, breweries, dog related businesses, stores, hotels and services along the route marked.

WHY THIS MATTERS: EVENTS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Our entire ethos is to have dog resources accessible to all.

And, that’s simply not possible if many of our community members and their pets can’t find an affordable way to access support or attend an event.

Dog Friendly KW executes successful events based on strong guidelines to ensure safety and comfort for all attendees. Our platform has over 12,000 followers and our events consistently see thousands of attendees, directly contributing to the economic development of our community.

We continue to see an increase in businesses and services becoming dog friendly with many utilizing our event guidelines and responsible dog ownership education as foundations to welcome dogs into their locations safely.

Our events frequently occur in Downtown Kitchener. We have received feedback from community members who rely on public transportation that they face difficulties attending our events.

There are HUNDREDS of dog friendly & dog related businesses along the LRT corridor. But, if dog owners can’t get there, they won’t be able to support the economic development in these areas.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN

We need your support - Join us in signing the petition to allow all leashed dogs on transit.

JOINING YOU!

OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE IMPROVING ACCESS TO TRANSIT FOR DOG OWNERS

Where do we stand?

Many other cities around the world, as well as several in Canada, have been operating successful dog friendly public transport programs. This includes:

Toronto

Montreal

Calgary

The Region of Waterloo has an opportunity to act as an ambassador and leader for change in this space as a "State of the Art" community.

Help us make Waterloo one of the first regions that is inclusive of all dogs on transportation.

I’m with you!