Outdoor pet areas added to more B.C. Ferries vessels

B.C. Ferries has increased the number of ships where owners can take their cats and dogs to outdoor upper deck areas during sailings.

Dogs on leashes and cats in carriers are now allowed in outdoor pet areas on the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay-Langdale routes aboard the Queen of Surrey and Queen of Coquitlam ferries.

Six vessels serving customers along the Sunshine Coast now have pet areas on upper decks, along with indoor facilities for pets.

Outdoor upper deck pet areas were introduced in fall 2022 on the Earls Cove-Saltery Bay route, and on the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay and Powell River-Comox routes in April 2023.

B.C. Ferries said the share of passengers travelling with pets nearly doubled between 2018 and 2023, from 5.5 per cent to 9.9 per cent.

“Our customers have told us that their pets need a better way to travel and we’ve taken steps to make that a reality,” Melanie Lucia, vice-president of customer experience, said in a statement.

B.C. Ferries said recent surveys indicated 92.5 per cent of respondents were in favour of expanding the pet areas to the outer decks of other ferries.

Additional outdoor pet spaces are being considered on vessels serving the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route, the corporation said.

Pets and their people must access the areas via a designated stairwell, marked with paw prints. Pet owners with accessibility needs are able to use a designated elevator.

While on the outer passenger deck, pets must stay in the designated pet area, which is marked with yellow lines. Waste bags and water bowls will be provided, and the area will be cleaned regularly.

Pets are not permitted in terminal lounges, on passenger walkways, or inside the passenger lounge areas of the ferry, with the exception of guide and service dogs.