▲ It is an image of using public transportation with pets

On August 3, an anonymous person wrote an article on an online community, titled, "I paid more than 400,000 won in fines for using illegal tickets for traveling with a dog next to me on KTX today." The writer said, "Before I booked a seat for the pet cage, I checked all the announcements on the KORAIL app, but there was no notice about the pet. Therefore, in order to save on the cost of purchasing a full fare seat, the seat was used to place the dog cage, after paying for the seat with the infant fare. However, after KTX departed, KORAIL announced through the employee that, "if you need a companion seat for your pet, you can use it after paying the adult fare," and asked me to pay a fine of 10 times the price of an adult ticket (about 40,000 won), as it is an illegal ride. In the end, I was fined 400,000 won, and this situation is unfair," he said.

In the process of the rapid spread of the article on the net, most netizens said, "I didn't know there was such a notice," and, "I have to go home with my dog on Chuseok, but I should check the KTX notice before traveling," with most of them saying they didn't know how to use public transportation with their pets. For the upcoming holiday, let's find out the, "correct public transportation use with pets," for our beloved pets and their safe return home.

Let's first find out the cases of buses, taxis, and subways, which are the most frequently used public transportation in our daily lives. Buses allow pets to ride, if the combined weight of cages and animals is less than 20kg, and the standard allowance for carriers is less than 50*40*20cm. Taxis stipulate in Article 11, Subparagraph 6, of the Transportation Agreement of the Transportation Business, that, "if the transportation of bodies and animals is requested, the transportation may be refused." That is, whether or not the pet can be boarded, is determined according to the judgment of the taxi driver. In the case of taxis, as the regulations for pet boarding are ambiguous, there is also an alternative. Pet owners can hire a, "pet taxi," that allows pets to ride in order to avoid rejection, in urgent situations. In principle, the subway prohibits the movement of animals, however, in the case of companion animals that have completed all necessary vaccinations, proving that they would not harm other passengers, can then be transported in a carrier. However, in the case of service dogs, they can board without having to put them in a cage.

Then, what about KTX and airplanes that you use on your homecoming holiday or long-distance travel? KTX strictly checks whether pets are vaccinated, so pet guardians must prepare a separate, "certificate of vaccination." In addition, payment for additional seats for pet transportation, must be booked with a normal fare (adult fare) ticket. Although the regulations vary widely for each airline, in most cases, the in-flight boarding of pets is determined by combining the weight of the pet and the carrier. Most domestic airlines allow the combined weight of 5 to 6 kilograms of companion animals to be accompanied on board. If the combined weight of the cage and the animal exceeds the weight standard carried in the cabin, it must be placed in a hard carrier and boarded as consigned baggage. The weight that can be transported by consignment baggage is 32 to 45kg. Large dogs that weigh more than this must be checked by the airline prior to reservation. Both regulations and additional charges vary depending on the airline, therefore, it is highly recommended to check and prepare carefully before purchasing tickets.

For a safe trip with your lovely pets, it is essential for pet guardians to know how to use public transportation properly, before going on a trip. It is hoped that the public transportation usage with pets will be carefully checked and followed, so that not only pets and their guardians, but also other passengers, will be able to enjoy a delightful trip without any inconvenience.

By Seo Ji-min, cub-reporter  jmseo1215@naver.com

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