In two glorious instances, I’ve had the joy of giving a rideshare ride to not just a human, but that human’s dog.
The first was named Butters and was a very good dog. The second might’ve been named Maddy (?) and was also very good. She needed more vaccines before she could go to the dog park, though, so she was a bit more wound-up than Butters. Lot of energy to get rid of. Butters was a laid-back pooch. But that’s beside the point.
It’s allegedly illegal for a rideshare driver to deny service to a service animal. I say allegedly because I really don’t know, but Lyft just sent me this video about it, which they probably spent five hundred bucks on, right? Maybe a lot more if those dogs were professional and they got the people who make sure dogs are treated humanely on set to monitor everything? At a time when they’re troublingly (for the stock market) unprofitable and troublingly (for the side of my car that large drunk man dented by falling on it) bad at helping drivers get help? I know five hundred isn’t a lot, but questions exist about whether the video was necessary, and I’m disillusioned enough to play Socrates and ask those questions. Anyway, also beside the point.
The point is this: If you want to bring your dog in a rideshare ride, and that dog is a service animal, you’re in the clear. If that dog is not a service animal, you can just ask the driver if they’re cool (if they aren’t, they will make a stink about the dog). I’m not sure about Uber, but when Lyft drivers are first approved to drive, Lyft suggests they put a blanket in their car for possible animals (or dirty people, which are also just animals biologically—my addition, not Lyft’s). So there’s a good chance the driver has a blanket, and even if they don’t, who cares? Is a dog going to shed that much in fifteen minutes?
Neither Butters nor the dog I’m calling Maddy was a service animal. But Butters’ person called ahead and asked if he would be allowed service, and Maddy’s person made a note in the pickup section of the ride request, so in both cases they gave me a heads up. And for me, it was the highlight of my day one time (Butters) and a very good part of my day the other time (Maddy).
Anyway, the simple thing I’m telling you in a long, convoluted way is that if your dog is a service animal, they can do whatever they want. Pretty sure they’re allowed to drive the car if they’re really feeling themselves. And even if your dog isn’t a service animal, they’re probably welcome, provided the driver isn’t a narc.
Editor’s Note: NIT Stu is a part-time rideshare driver, but is not an expert on all of this. If you really want to know about the legality of anything related to Uber and Lyft, check their own websites and/or contact their own customer service teams.
