Let’s talk about the unwritten rules of dog Tube travel. First, if your dog sneezes on someone, you must apologize for at least forty-five seconds. Second, if your dog sheds, you must pretend you don’t see the hair clinging to a passenger’s black coat. Third, never, ever let your dog lick a random person’s hand. That hand was holding a sausage roll three minutes ago, and now it’s contaminated by slobber.
And here’s the most important rule: never say “he’s friendly” after your dog has already barked in someone’s ear. That ship has sailed, my friend. You’re now the villain of that carriage’s daily drama.
London Underground Dogs at Leah Coote blog
The Great Myth: Dogs Ride for Free
You might have heard a juicy rumor: dogs don’t need a ticket. That’s true. They are free passengers on the Tube. But don’t let that go to your head—or your dog’s head. A free ride does not grant you the right to let your dog eat a discarded chip from the floor. That chip is communal property now, and you’ve just witnessed a public health crisis in waiting.
I once saw a poodle eat a half-eaten croissant that had fallen near the doors. The owner pretended not to notice. The poodle looked proud. The rest of us looked horrified. That’s the London Underground for you—a place where dignity goes to die, and dogs feast on pastries.
