How often to you go on a bus and your seatmate is a dog? Not too often, I imagine. Eclipse is a special dog, and she does something you don’t see everyday: she rides the bus by herself to the dog park, spends a few hours there, and then takes the bus back home. She even owns her very own bus card. The drivers are all familiar with her, as well as the passengers, and quickly Eclipse turned into the attraction of Seattle’s D line bus.
It started like any other day, when Jeff Young took his beloved black Labrador, Eclipse, on her usual walk to the dog park. After years of riding the same bus to the park, the smart dog was already familiar with the route, and so when the bus arrived at the station, and Jeff took his time, finishing his cigarette, the dog simply went on the bus by herself. Jeff was puzzled, and followed his dog to the park, getting there several minutes after her.
Jeff soon realized that his smart dog known how many stops to ride, and she can get to the dog park by herself. The first few times he followed her, arriving shortly after his dog, and later he learned she doesn’t really need him. The bus drivers were already familiar with her, and welcomed the dog on their bus with a smile. So did the bus passengers, who enjoyed the company of the friendly dog. According to the law, dogs are ideally on a leash when riding public transportation, but King County allows dogs on the bus as long as the driver allows it and is in control of the situation.
That’s how Eclipse started riding the bus to the dog park daily, and everyone benefits from this arrangement. The dog, on her [art, seems to enjoy her independence, and she makes new friends every day, human and four-legged.
