People are outraged that the MTA told a commuter to call 911 because there was a very good dog on their train
Imagine you’ve spent a long hot day in Manhattan just trying to make ends meet in the city that never sleeps. You’ve finally made it to the subway to go home and magically, your train arrives, and it isn’t crowded. You step onboard and see a cute dog.
Do you:
A. Sit away from it but with a clear view to admire it from a distance?
B. Ask the owner if you could maybe pet it?
C. Stare intensely into its eyes and think, “I love you, I love you, I love you,” hoping that the dog has telepathic abilities.
D. Call the police.
If you answered “D,” you’re a monster.
Jen Chung, a writer for Gothamist, was doing the Lord’s work when she posted this video of a well-behaved dog enjoying a ride on the MTA on Monday night. Wanting to show the world this precious moment, Chung posted the video on Twitter.
FYI very large, fuzzy commuter on uptown 1 train #WeTheCommuters pic.twitter.com/joH8XPyIj4
— Jen Chung (@jenchung) July 18, 2018
Surprisingly, the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s NYC Transit account replied to the tweet and informed Jen that if she sees a dog onboard the train to call 911.
Hi, Jen. Sorry for the late response. If you do see a dog on board, please alert 911 or the nearest train crew member. Thanks again for the report.
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) July 18, 2018
Per MTA rules, dogs are allowed on New York City buses and subways. However, they have to be in a container, and they must not be a nuisance to other passengers.
But to call the police on a dog? When there was a fire happening in the subway that same day?
A first for me. A fire at Nevins Street station. #mta
A post shared by Andres Ohara-Plotnik (@andresohara) on Jul 17, 2018 at 4:39pm PDT
Dialing 911 bc of a DOG?!? Are you guys out of your freaking minds? Do the police have absolutely nothing to do? And can’t you work on improving service?
— Alex #BoycottNRA (@JockJockGoose) July 18, 2018
My favorite episode of NYPD Blue was when Sipowicz took down the Labradoodle-on-the-1-train gang. "You have the right to remain silent, Pickles." Still gives me goosebumps.
— J. Thomas Ganzer (@J_Thomas_Ganzer) July 18, 2018
The poor person who runs the subway Twitter account attempted to clear the air by explaining the law.
You may choose to, having dogs on the train of that size is illegal. ^RT
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) July 18, 2018
Earlier on Tuesday, the subway Twitter account sent out an apology: “One of our colleagues was mistaken in his response. Please do not call 911 unless there is an emergency. We love cute doggos as much as you – but they need to be in carriers while riding on a train.”
There is also the “Noah’s Ark” bill, proposed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, that allows animals on the subway in the event of evacuation if NYC is hit with a natural disaster.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.