If you’ve used the Uber app before, you know the platform offers a range of different ride options to help drivers and passengers have the best experience.
Currently, passengers can pay extra money for many added perks and comfort, like leg space, individual climate controls, leather seats, and even bringing along their pets.
As businesses and restaurants have become increasingly pet-friendly, people want to bring their pets with them wherever they go — vacations, work, and even their Uber rides.
This is good news for drivers. No longer will you be surprised when your next ride turns out to be a human being and their shedding, slobbering pet. This can be a very awkward situation for a driver who doesn’t want to take the pet but doesn’t want to upset the rider – and damage their ratings.
Now, Uber Pet offers drivers and passengers a solution. Passengers can specifically request a pet-friendly ride and willing drivers can accept the request and earn extra money for the Uber trip.
This article will cover what you need to know about Uber Pet — how it works, what the fees are, and what drivers and passengers need to know for a more comfortable ride.
What Is Uber Pet?
Uber Pet facilitates transportation for passengers who want to travel with their pets. Pets are distinct from service animals which are subject to different guidelines.
There is an additional fee for Uber Pet, but the fare is still quite affordable for passengers. It costs only $3 to $5 more than a regular Uber X and ensures that they will be matched with a pet-friendly driver.
For drivers, this provides added protection. With any pet, there is a risk of damage and added mess to your vehicle, such as feces, animal odor, or heavy shedding. The extra fee offsets these cleaning costs. An additional fee of up to $40 may be assessed if the animal makes an excessive mess.
Drivers cannot restrict the types of animals they are willing to transport. It’s a general agreement to accept up to one standard, legal domestic pet per passenger per trip. There are no breed or size restrictions, and often animals are not in a kennel or pet carrier.
Do Uber Drivers Have to Allow Pets?
If it’s not an Uber Pet ride, then allowing a furry friend is at the car owner’s discretion. Uber drivers don’t have to allow your pet passage and they can cancel your trip upon arrival at pick-up or request that you cancel the trip in the app.
Commonly, unless a driver is allergic or has had a previous bad experience with pets in the car, they will allow it if the pet appears clean and well-behaved.
Do Uber Drivers Have to Accommodate Service Animals?
Yes! Uber drivers must accommodate service animals. There are federal and state laws in effect to protect Americans with disabilities, and it is also Uber’s explicit policy. An Uber driver cannot deny a ride to any passenger with an accompanying service animal.
Additionally, there is no additional fee for this accommodation. As such, riders with a service animal will request a regular Uber X or another type of non-pet Uber ride such as an Uber Comfort or Uber XL.
Service Animals vs Emotional Support Animals
An Uber driver must accommodate a service animal, but there is no requirement to accommodate an emotional support animal. That is a distinct and separate class.
You cannot ask the driver why they need their animal, because you cannot ask the person to disclose a disability or medical condition.
But you can ask the passenger, “Is this animal required because of a disability?” And if they say yes, then you can ask them, “What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?”
In practice, passengers with emotional support animals commonly answer “Yes” to the first question but then have no answer or a vague or unclear answer when it comes to the second question.
Even if a driver does disclose it is an emotional support animal – because they believe that you are legally acquired to let the pet board – it’s probably in your best interest to just give the passenger a ride.
Doing otherwise may lead to complaints, including a backend deactivation of your account while Uber opens an investigation. Generally, it’s not worth the headache of educating (arguing with) a rider. Especially if the passenger is running a quick errand a mile away and not taking an extra-long trip.
Uber Pet Availability
Uber Pets is primarily available in select U.S. cities. The list is growing, but at present here is a list of just some of those markets:
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Boston
- Charleston
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Detroit
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Honolulu
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Little Rock
- Los Angeles
- New Orleans
- New York
- Phoenix
- Portland
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Washington D.C.
Uber Pet may be available in cities that are not on the list; drivers and passengers can check in the app for this option.
Riders should note that even if your city does have Uber Pet, it may not be commonly offered and it may not be possible for you to find a pet-friendly ride when you want one.
How to Opt into Uber Pet for Drivers
If you do want to be pet-friendly and accommodate Uber Pet ride requests, it’s simple to adjust your settings and opt-in.
Log into your Uber account and go to your “Work Hub” under “Account” settings. Then, select “Uber Pets.”
If you decide you don’t want to do any more pet rides for the rest of your shift, or permanently, you can disable Uber Pet requests in your app settings. Navigate to “Preferences” on the home screen, and then uncheck the “Uper Pet” box.
You can change your mind at a later point and opt back in again.
Can Uber Drivers Bring Their Pets?
Yes, as an independent contractor, a driver can choose to bring along their pet. However, the pet should not cause any safety issues or disrupt the trip in any way. Ideally, the pet set sits quietly up front with the driver.
It is possible that a rider may object to your pet being in the car and will request a new ride, issue a complaint, or both. This is uncommon but not impossible and something to be aware of.
If your animal is a service animal, it’s wise to proactively contact Uber and let them know. This can head off any potential future issues.
Uber Pet Rules
When transporting pets and other animals in an Uber, there are some guidelines and helpful tips to be aware of.
- Accommodate passengers with service animals; this cannot be overemphasized.
- Know that service animals will not necessarily wear an identifying harness, vest, or collar.
- You cannot ask a passenger to prove their disability or for the animal’s “service animal”
- A driver’s religion, allergies, or fear of certain animals cannot prohibit you from transporting a passenger with a service animal.
- Service animals cannot be charged an additional pet fee. (However, the rider is responsible for the service animal’s behavior, and in the rare event of any damage the rider would be held liable.)
Driver’s Take
It’s up to you whether or not you want to opt into Uber Pets. In terms of passenger experience and extra wages, drivers have very mixed experiences.
There are instances of unreasonable passengers who bring heavy-shedding dogs like Huskies and dispute charges for the extra fees it takes to clean up after their pets. They believe the extra $3 or so they are charged for the ride should cover it.
It comes down to market availability and your personal preferences. If Uber Pet trips are available in your area, and you like animals, you can try out this feature and see what happens. It could be an easy, and fun, way to boost your earnings.
If you do encounter any issues, reach out to Uber Support. Let them know what’s happened so that you can be proactive with potential rider complaints.
FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions that drivers and riders have regarding Uber Pet.
What types of pets does Uber Pet allow?
Uber Pet is primarily designed with dogs and cats in mind, but any legal domestic pet that reasonably fits in the vehicle is allowed.
A driver can refuse transportation to an animal that seems aggressive, unsafe, or unruly.
How much does Uber Pet cost?
An Uber Pet ride costs around $3 to $5 more than a regular Uber X, although some drivers and passengers say the increased Uber Pet cost is closer to $6.
Additionally, some drivers have stated they do not see a fare difference between Uber Pet and Uber X trips, but this could be due to other factors coming into play like time of day and overall demand.
For a pet that leaves a mess requiring additional clean-up, an additional fee will be charged to the passenger. For example, Uber may charge an excessive dog hair removal fee of up to $40 with the fee meant to cover vacuuming, shampooing, driver labor or cost for the cleaning, and the driver’s time off the road to prep the car for the next passengers.
Can you request Uber Pet and UberX?
A passenger should request one or the other. If a passenger with a pet requests an Uber X instead of an Uber Pet, the driver can decline the trip or just take the passenger at Uber X rates.
If the passenger seems agreeable, you can nicely ask them to cancel the trip and request an Uber Pet ride. This way, you can still bring the passenger and earn the increased Uber Pet trip fare.
What are alternatives to Uber Pet?
There aren’t direct competitors or alternatives to Uber Pet – apps designed to transport humans but with specific pet-friendly accommodations.
There are pet-designed taxi services like 1-800-Pet-Taxi, but they are meant to transport an animal to a pet-related destination like the vet or a boarding center.
These opportunities generally exist in large cities, and an accompanying human owner may or may not be permitted.
