Whether you’re taking your four-legged friend to the vet or the dog park, they can now ride along with you with Uber’s new Uber Pet option.
Previously, passengers had to contact their driver beforehand to let them know if they were bringing a pet along for the ride, and it sometimes resulted in the driver saying no and canceling it altogether. Now, riders can select the Uber Pet option when requesting a ride in the app to find pet-friendly drivers that are willing to accommodate furry friends.
The feature will be available starting October 16 in select cities, including Austin, Denver, Nashville, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Tampa Bay. An Uber spokesperson told Digital Trends that riders will be charged an extra fee of $3 to $5 for Uber Pet, depending on what city they’re in. Drivers can opt in or out of the feature at their discretion.
Dogs and cats aren’t the only animals allowed with you as part of Uber Pet — any household pet is welcome, the company said. This includes rabbits, turtles, hamsters, fish, and even birds, though birds have to be caged while riding in the car. Service animals are exempt from Uber Pet in that there is no extra cost to ride along with a certified service animal.
Uber is the first rideshare company to implement an official pet feature. Lyft’s pet policies are similar to Uber’s previous ones in that pets are allowed at each driver’s discretion.
The Uber Pet feature is one of many new features the ridesharing app has debuted this year. In May to better accommodate passengers, Uber announced a silent mode for Uber Black riders who prefer a quiet ride without small talk.
Uber’s app now also lets Uber Black riders select the temperature of their vehicle so you can ensure it feels just right when it shows up, and you can also let the driver know if you have any bags with you so they can hop out and assist you.
Uber also expanded its money-saving Ride Pass program earlier this year. The subscription service offers savings of up to 15% for each trip and does away with surge pricing, making it a tempting option for regular Uber riders.
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