A cat in a cat stroller is as entitled to use a designated place on a bus as a child in a pram. There are two places on British buses for prams and if one of those places is taken up by a cat in a cat stroller then that leaves one place for a child in a pram. It is common sense because you cannot remove the cat from a cat stroller and fold up the stroller as this would be impractical and dangerous for the cat and indeed other passengers because you would probably have a cat roaming around the bus causing chaos.
Just to be clear, a cat stroller is a pram for a cat. They’re quite rare but you do see them from time to time. In this unusual story, a cat owner jumped on a bus in Leeds, England pushing her cat stroller. There was a cat inside. There is a place on British buses where prams have to go. It is a designated place for a maximum of two prams. The cat stroller was placed in this space to join a child in a pram.
At a following bus stop a mum with her child in a pram jumped on the bus and as the space for prams was fully occupied the driver told her to fold up her pram and make her toddler stand. Her pram also contained lots of items that she had probably bought or carried around with her. Therefore folding her pram was a difficult task on a busy bus.
Another person on the bus noticed what was happening. Her name is Mia Wilson, 23. She claimed that she heard the driver tell the mother with the toddler that she had to fold down the pram and walk on the bus with her child or wait for another bus.
The driver had obviously noticed that the place for prams was fully occupied by the cat stroller and a child in a pram.
Mia Wilson tried to intervene and explain to the driver that one of the prams had a cat in it. The driver ignored what she said and replied that there were already two prams in the area on board the bus and therefore the space was full up.
Ms Wilson felt that it was ridiculous that the bus driver was prioritising cats over people. The bus company is now launching an investigation because she complained or someone else complained.
Comment: it is an interesting story. I think the person who complained is ridiculous not the driver or the bus company. It is quite possible and practical to take a toddler out of the pram and fold up the pram but it is completely impractical and dangerous to take a cat out of a cat stroller on a bus and fold up the stroller. This would almost certainly result in a panicked cat and chaos on the bus. The driver made the right decision. That is obvious. The driver had no choice in point of fact.
I don’t think the driver was prioritising a cat over a child. He was simply applying common sense and adhering to the rules of his bus company. I hope the investigation comes to the same conclusion. They probably have judging by their response to the press:
“There is limited space on board our buses and therefore some customers will be asked to fold down their pushchairs before boarding. With the exception of assistance dogs, animals can only travel on board our services if they are secure.”
Update 14th Oct: The Metro says: The cat pictured being taken on the bus in a pram is 13 years old and has liver failure and was on his way back from the vet. This further confirms that the driver made the correct decision.
Source: Mail Online. Photo: Mercury Press.
Good for the bus driver! I love cats anyway.
Great. I had the same thoughts as you can tell.
The stroller this child in the picture is in, is a good stroller for the bus. Here in Canada they come on with those huge jogging strollers. Most of them the size of a motorized scooter used by those who have difficulty walking. We dont have areas designated for strollers. However we do for wheelchairs or scooters. The strollers seem to stick to the front area of the bus. Making it very hard for people to get on and off the bus. Especially those with walkers or a small cart with groceries. It is crazy and we are packed in like sardines with two or three of these huge strollers.